Ananda Puraskar
2 appearances
-
Edition 13 (1972) Winner
-
Edition 33 (1989) Winner
Sunil Gangopadhyay
スニール・ガンゴパッダヤ
Sunil Gangopadhyay
Aliases:
Sunil Ganguly
Pen Names:
Nil Lohit（Pen name used for some early poems and short stories）,
Sanatan Pathak（Alternate name used for certain works）,
Nil Upadhyay（Pen name sometimes used for children's fiction and short stories）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1934-09-07 （Madaripur subdivision, Faridpur district, Bengal Presidency, British India (now in Bangladesh)）
- Died
- 2012-10-23 （Kolkata, West Bengal, India） age 78
- Nationality
- Indian
- Languages
- Bengali
- Religion
- Atheism
- Residence History
- Born in Madaripur (now Bangladesh) - childhood → Kolkata (Calcutta) - resident for most of his life
Career
- Occupations
- poet, novelist, short story writer, historical fiction writer, journalist, editor
- Active Years
- 1953-2012
- Affiliations
- Krittibas (magazine; co-founder and editor), Desh (magazine; frequent contributor), Sahitya Akademi (elected president)
- Influenced By
- Rabindranath Tagore, Jack Kerouac (influence from Beat generation), Allen Ginsberg (personal acquaintance and mutual influence)
- Influenced
- Many contemporary Bengali writers (influenced by his plainspoken prose and dry humour), Younger writers involved in journalism and magazine editing
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Calcutta | Faculty of Arts | Bengali (Bengali literature) | MA（修士） | 1950年代（在学） | India |
University of Calcutta
Faculty of Arts
/ Bengali (Bengali literature)
Degree:
MA（修士）
Period:
1950年代（在学）
Year of Graduation:
1954
Country:
India
Studied at Surendranath College, Dum Dum Motijheel College and City College (all affiliated to the University of Calcutta) before completing MA.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Ananda Puraskar | — | 一般部門 | Ananda Bazar Group | 受賞 |
| 1983 | Bankim Puraskar | Sei Somoy (Those Days) | — | Government of West Bengal | 受賞 |
| 1985 | Sahitya Akademi Award | Sei Somoy (Those Days) | — | Sahitya Akademi | 受賞 |
| 1989 | Ananda Puraskar | Poorba-Pashchim | — | Ananda Bazar Group | 受賞 |
| 2004 | Saraswati Samman | Prothom Alo (First Light) | — | Saraswati Samman (awarding body) | 受賞 |
| 2011 | The Hindu Literary Prize | The Fakir | — | The Hindu | ショートリスト（候補） |
| 2012 | Sera Bangali Lifetime Achievement Award | — | — | Star Ananda | 受賞 |
Ananda Puraskar
1972
Category:
一般部門
Organization:
Ananda Bazar Group
Result:
受賞
Bankim Puraskar
1983
Work:
Sei Somoy (Those Days)
Organization:
Government of West Bengal
Result:
受賞
Sahitya Akademi Award
1985
Work:
Sei Somoy (Those Days)
Organization:
Sahitya Akademi
Result:
受賞
Ananda Puraskar
1989
Work:
Poorba-Pashchim
Organization:
Ananda Bazar Group
Result:
受賞
Saraswati Samman
2004
Work:
Prothom Alo (First Light)
Organization:
Saraswati Samman (awarding body)
Result:
受賞
The Hindu Literary Prize
2011
Work:
The Fakir
Organization:
The Hindu
Result:
ショートリスト（候補）
Sera Bangali Lifetime Achievement Award
2012
Organization:
Star Ananda
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Sahitya Akademi Award to Bengali Writers
1 appearances
-
Edition 28 (1985) Winner
Saraswati Samman
1 appearances
-
Edition 14 (2004) Winner
Works
Major Works
Atmaprakash
1964 Novel (debut)A semi-autobiographical debut novel depicting a bohemian Calcutta life; caused controversy on publication.
autobiographical elementsyouthful wanderingurban life
Aranyer Din Ratri (Days and Nights in the Forest)
NovelA novel set in a forested locale; one of the works adapted by Satyajit Ray into film.
nature and relationshipsinner exploration
Adaptations
- [Film] Aranyer Din Ratri / Satyajit Ray (1970)
Sei Somoy (Those Days)
Historical fictionA sweeping historical novel intertwining Bengal's history and individual destinies; a bestseller and award-winning work.
history and memorysocial changeintergenerational story
Adaptations
- [Television series] Yugantar (TV series)
Translations
- English translation 'Those Days' translated by Aruna Chakravorty
Prothom Alo (First Light)
1996 Historical fictionA historical novel following the vein of 'Sei Somoy', depicting intersections of life and history.
historypersonal history
Translations
- English translation 'First Light' translated by Aruna Chakravorty
Kakababu series
Children's / young adult adventure fictionA popular series featuring Kakababu, a physically disabled adventurer; over 30 novels written since 1974.
adventurefriendshipmystery
Adaptations
- [Film] Sabuj Dwiper Raja / Tapan Sinha (1979)
- [Film] Mishawr Rahasya / Srijit Mukherji (2013)
- [Film] Yeti Obhijaan / Srijit Mukherji (2017)
- [Film] Kakababur Protyaborton / Srijit Mukherji (2021)
Bibliography
- Atmaprakash (1964)
- Eka ebong Koekjon (poetry, 1958)
- Sei Somoy (Those Days)
- Prothom Alo (First Light)
- Poorba-Pashchim
- Numerous short stories, travelogues, and children's books (including the Kakababu series)
Adaptations
- Aranyer Din Ratri - directed by Satyajit Ray (1970)
- Pratidwandi - directed by Satyajit Ray (1970, based on his novel)
- Multiple Kakababu films (1979, 1996, 2001, 2013, 2017, 2021 etc.)
- Moner Manush (2010) - film based on his novel depicting Lalon Fakir
Translations of Works
- First Light (English translation of Prothom Alo)
- Those Days (English translation of Sei Somoy by Aruna Chakravorty)
- Murmur in the Woods and other poems/short stories translated into English
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- plain, conversational prosedry humourautobiographical and reflective narration
- Recurring Motifs
- memory and the pastBengal's history and partitionmigration and identity
Health
-
Prostate cancer晩年（治療のためムンバイへ赴くこともあった）Suffered from prostate cancer in later years and underwent treatment; died following a major cardiac arrest in 2012.
Legacy
Gangopadhyay was one of postwar Bengal's most prolific writers, active across poetry, historical novels and children's fiction. His plainspoken voice and humour influenced many readers and writers.
Academic Societies
- Sahitya Akademi (involvement as president)
In Popular Culture
- Source for many film and TV adaptations (Satyajit Ray films, live-action Kakababu series adaptations, etc.)
- Kakababu is widely loved in Bengali popular culture as a children's literature character
Quotes
-
“Gangopadhyay had enriched Bengali literature through his unique style. He was one of the best intellectuals among his contemporaries. The vacuum created by his death cannot be filled.”
Source: Condolence statement by Pranab Mukherjee (then President of India) (2012) -
“His use of contemporary language let readers see parts of themselves they may have not seen. By doing so, he transformed personal confessions into shared experiences.”
Source: Commentary by poet Shankha Ghosh (2012)
Trivia
- Prolific author with over 200 books.
- Co-founded the avant-garde Bengali magazine Krittibas in 1953.
- The Kakababu series comprises over 36 novels and is a major children's fiction franchise in Bengal.
- Although an atheist and at times a communist, his cremation was reported to have followed Hindu rites.
- Used several pen names including Nil Lohit, Sanatan Pathak and Nil Upadhyay.