Great Personalities of Bangladesh

Jibanananda Das (1899-1954) is the strongest poet in Bengali literature. He was in quest of the modern age through its sorrow that makes him quite different from all others. This mystic poet was born on 28th February of 1899 in a Brahmo family at Barishal, which is now in Bangladesh. He started his studies at Brojomohan school, later on he passed I.A from Brojomohan college. He settled in Calcutta and passed B.A exam with English Hons. from Presidency College. After completion of Post Graduation in 1921 he started his career as Professor in City College of Calcutta.

Jibanananda Das

His collection of first poetic works of Jharapalak came out in 1927, where he did not able to overcome the influence of Tagore but the said work was mercilessly criticized for its obscenity. Later Jibananda did overcome the influence of Tagore and accepting the rebellions of Kallol era he then followed T.S Elliot. Elliot’s feelings of History reflected in his next work. Dhusar Pandulipi (1936) – "Time present and time past are both perhaps present in the future and time future contained in time past."

His search for history or better to understand the Root influenced throughout his poetic works – Banolata Sen(1942), Maha Prithbi (1944), Satti – Tarar Timir (1961), Ruposi Bangla (1957), Bela Abela Kalbela (1961), Sudarshama (1973) , Beat of Jibananda Das (1954). Collection of articles ‘Kobitar Katha’ two novels – ‘Subirtha’ Malyaban and some short stories are recently discovered.

Among the modern poets of Bengali Literature the nature attracted Jibananda the most: Tagore expressed his poetry as Seenari. He was able to reach too close to the nature that makes nearer to Keats. Jibananda’s sense of nature created a myth of nostalgia. Most of the critics feel that his expression of nature scenery was like the ‘impressionists artists’. His creation forced towards the mystery of unworldly phenomenon. Like the impressionists with the use of one or a couple of words in his each and every poem. Another main feature of his poem is the feelings of the death obsession. His work Ruposi Bangla mainly deals with the natural scenery of Bengal but it deeply concerns with the feelings of death. Jibananda is the pioneer of Sur-realism in Bengali literature. Reality and fantasy come alive in his creation – ‘Banalata Sen’, ‘Aboshese’ or ‘Horinera’ may be referred to.

This lonely poet passed away on 22nd October of 1954 in a road accident which is tent amount to his works -

"When all the earthly light go off Creation, twinkles Birds come back to the nest, streams too. Death comes, Darkness left behind to close with Banalata Sen.

Sukumar Ray (1887-1923), one of the greatest writers and illustrators in the history of Bengali literature, was born in 1887. Like his father, Upendrakishore, and like his son, Satyajit, Sukumar, despite his sense of humour, had intense powers of concentration. He would become entirely oblivious of everything while working out a creative problem from the beginning to the end. Swift minded, he synthesized words and images. Unfortunately, his literary style is very difficult to translate. Satyajit made an effort to put into English some verses from "The King of Bombaria" , from the book, Abol-Tabol. At eight years old this embryonic family humorist completed his first creative feat - a poem to "Nadi", the river. Upendrakishore, "with the eye, hand and soul of an artist", was only too eager to watch for what his eldest son would produce next.

Sukumar Ray

It took some time, but the next year Sukumar, who showed inventiveness in sport and entertaining all the younger children, produced his second poem, "Tick, Tick, Tong". It was really a translation of "Hickory, Dickory, Dock". Father, who was already writing for children, gave Sukumar's poem to the children's magazine "Mukul". At nine, Sukumar emerged an author in print. When he was a student at Presidency College, he created the home-based Nonsense Club with membership open to those with a flair for the ridiculous, practical joking and, most of all, acting. At some point before 1911, when Sukumar was sent off to England, Suprabha Das, the rather tall and beautiful teenaged grand-daughter of the visionary Kalinarayan Gupta, was introduced to Sukumar's Nonsense Club. Sukumar, no doubt, had his eye on Suprabha Das before he went to England on a scholarship of Technology to study photography and half-tone printing. On Sukumar's return from England in 1914, he married Suprabha Das and their son, Satyajit, was born on May 2nd, 1921. By this time Sukumar was attacked by the bacteria of the then fatal disease of black-water fever. Fever penetrated deeper and deeper with the bacteria affecting one organ after another until Sukumar found himself tied to wheelchair. Yet he continued to write. His wit remained unimpaired. Persistently he continued to bring out "Sandesh", the children magazine. Sukumar Ray, who brought something new to Bengal's literature, died on September 10th, 1923.

Sunil Gangopadhyay was born on September 7, 1934 at Faridpur in what is now Bangladesh. Sunil got his Master's degree in Economics from the Calcutta University in 1954. He is currently associated with the Ananda Bazar group, a major publishing house in Calcutta.

Author of well over 200 books, Sunil is a prolific writer who has excelled in different genres but declares poetry to be his "first love". Sunil was the founder editor of Krittibaas, a seminal poetry magazine that became a platform for a new generation of poets experimenting with many new forms in poetic themes, rhythms, and words. His Nikhilesh and Neera series of poems have been extremely popular.

Sunil Gangopadhyay

As in poetry, Sunil is known for his unique style in prose. Arjun, Pratidwandi, filmed by Satyajit Ray (English title: The Adversary), Aranyer Din-Raatri (also filmed by Satyajit Ray - The Days and Nights of the Forest), Ekaa ebong Koyekjon are some of his well known works of fiction. His historical fiction Sei Somoy, translated into English by Aruna Chakravorty as Those Days) received the Indian Sahitya Akademi award in 1985. Sei Somoy continues to be a best seller more than a decade after its first publication. The same is true of Pratham Alo (also translated recently by Aruna Chakravorty as First Light), another best selling historical fiction.

Sunil has written (and still writes) in many other genres including travelogues, children's fiction, short stories, features and essays. Among his pen-names are: Nil Lohit, Sanatan Pathak, and Nil Upadhyay.