Amiya Bhushan Majumdar

Amiya Bhushan Majumdar was a highly acclaimed Bengali novelist, short-story writer, essayist, and playwright. He was born on 22nd March 1918 in Cooch, Behar district, which is now part of Bangladesh. He did his Bachelor of arts in English literature from Victoria College (now Acharya Brojendra Nath Seal College) in Cooch, Behar. He began his professional career as a journalist and worked as a sub-editor for Ananda Bazar Patrika, a prominent Bengali daily, in 1941. As a child, he was known for his love for books and literature. He was an avid reader and spent hours reading books from the local library. His interest in writing and journalism also began at a young age. He was known as the ‘Writer’s Writer’ and is considered one of the most notable authors of modern Bengali prose.

He was also enthusiastic about oil painting and created many thought-provoking oil paintings. He published his first novel, “Bipasha,” in 1944, which bagged him the “Ananda Puraskar” award in 1972. He was awarded the highest state award, “Bankim Puraskar,” for his novel “Rajnagar” in 1974, the “Rabindra Puraskar” award for his book “Gopaler Dan” in 1986, the “Bhasha Samman” award in 1991, and the “Bibhuti Bhushan Sahitya” award in 1983 by the government of West Bengal for his contribution to the Bengali language and literature. He was conferred the Sarat Memorial Medal by the University of Calcutta in 1997. These awards and honors are a testament to Amiya Bhushan Majumdar’s significant contributions to Bengali literature and journalism. Over the years, he established himself as a prolific and highly respected writer in Bengali literature, and his works continue to be widely read and appreciated. Majumdar passed away on 8th July 2001.