David Jacob Cohen OBE (died 9 February 1959) was an Indian politician and a leading figure of the Baghdadi Jewish community in Calcutta. [1] [2] He served as honorary secretary of the Beth-El Synagogue. [3] Cohen, then serving as vice president of the Calcutta Jewish Association, was to the Bengal Legislative Council from the Calcutta South Central non-Mohammedan constituency in 1921. [2] [4] Being elected to the Legislative Council was the highest political office obtained by a Calcutta Jew. [5] He was defeated in the 1923 election, but was nominated by the Governor to remain in the Council in 1923 and 1926. [2]
Cohen was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1941. [6]
Cohen died on 9 February 1959 at the age of 75. [1]