Rajshekhar Basu

Rajsekhar Basu (Bangla: রাজশেখর বসু), or Parashuram (পরশুরাম) (March 16, 1880 - April 27, 1960) was a Bengali writer known more for his comic and satirical stories. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1956. He was a chemist by profession.

Life

Rajsekhar was born at his maternal uncle's home in Bardhaman district of West Bengal, India. He was the second son (and sixth child) of Chandrasekhar and Laxmimani Devi. Rajsekhar spent his childhood in Darbhanga. He was an inquisitive child and had put together a laboratory at home equipped with two cupboards of various chemicals; he would forecast the weather by looking at a barometer that he had hung on the wall, would write prescriptions of cough-mixtures for his family members, and later, would even go to the Temple Medical School to dissect corpses.

When he was very young, he did not know Bengali very well. His friends introduced him into the world of Bengali literature when he was in his high school in Patna. Though he graduated in law, went to court for only three days. Science had been his principal interest since his childhood, and he gave up the legal profession to return to science.

Around this time, he met Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy, who had founded Bengal Chemical and joined it as a chemist. Within a year, he became the Manager and Secretary of the company. Under his leadership, Bengal Chemical became established as a flourishing house of research and manufacturing. Even after his retirement, he remained associated with the company until his death.

Rajsekhar entered the world of literature in the 1920s. His first book of stories, Gaddalika was well received. Rabindranath Tagore found the book delightful. In 1931, when Chalantika, a Bengali dictionary, was published, Rabindranath wrote, "At long last, we have a dictionary for Bengali. The concise grammar for Bengali that you have included in the appendix is also wonderful." Chalantika also included Rajsekhar's first efforts to reform and rationalize Bengali orthography. A few years after the publication of Chalantika, Calcutta University formed a committee to formulate a set of guidelines governing the spelling of Bengali words. Rajsekhar served as the chairman of this committee.

Rajsekhar also played a major role in the history of printing in Bengal. Sureshchandra Majumdar is credited with creating the first linotype in Bengali. Rajsekhar was his principal assistant in this endeavour. The second edition of Parashuram's Hanumaaner Swapna and other stories was the first book to be completely printed in Bengali linotype.

Writings

• Books written as Parasuram

Short Stories:

1. Gaddalika
2. Kajjali
3. Hanumaner Swapna ityadi Galpa
4. Galpakalpa
5. Dhusturi Maya ityadi Galpa
6. Krishnakali ityadi Galpa
7. Nil Tara ityadi Galpa
8. Anandibai ityadi Galpa
9. Chamath-kumari ityadi Galpa

Poetry

1. Parashuram-er Kabita (published posthumously)

• Books written as Rajsekhar Basu

Dictionary:

1. Chalantika

Translations (from Sanskrit to Bengali):

1. Valmiki Ramayan
2. Krishnadwaipayan Vyas krita Mahabharat
3. Kalidas-er Meghdut
4. Shrimadbhagabat Gita (published posthumously)

Collection of Essays

1. Laghuguru
2. Bichinta
3. Chalachchinta

Children's

1. Hitopadesh-er Galpa

Screen adaptations

• Parash Pathar
• Birinchibaba as Mahapurush ( a segment of "Kapurush o Mahapurush" )

Satyajit Ray directed both the films.

External links

• Rajsekhar Bose Section in Parabaas