Manmatha Roy

Manmatha Ray also known as Manmatha Roy was an Indian Bengali playwright. He responded to the socio-political conditions of India at the time through his plays. At least 17 of his plays have been adapted into films. He received the Soviet Land Nehru Award in 1967, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for drama in 1969, the State Academy of West Bengal Award in 1971, award from University of Calcutta in 1972 and the West Bengal government's highest drama award 'Dinabandhu Puraskar' in 1984.

Biography Manmatha Ray was born on 16 June 1899, in the village of Gala in Tangail District, present-day Bangladesh. He was the only son among five children of his father, Debendragati, and mother, Sarojini Devi. He made his debut in theatrical acting at a young age, playing the role of Dhruba in Rabindranath's play 'Bishorjoon' in 1906. After contracting malaria at the age of six, he moved to Balurghat with his family for treatment. He completed his Master's degree in Economics from the University of Dhaka in 1924 and graduated in law from the University of Calcutta in 1925. was banned by the British government because it indirectly criticized the treatment of Indian nationalist leaders and followers of Indian independence movement by the British government. He expressed his opposition to British rule and patriotic attitude towards the country through many other plays, including Mahabharata, Mir Qasim, Ashok, Chand Saudagar and others.

When he was imprisoned in the Presidency Jail by the British due to the intensity of his theatrical activities and when he went on a hunger strike once in the jail, it was Rabindranath Tagore who asked him to give up the hunger strike, saying, "Give up the hunger strike, our literature needs you." in Totopana (1956 and 1958), he dealt with the neglected poor, and in Santal Bidroha (meaning: The Santal Rebellion), written in 1958, he dealt with the exploited tribals. Bidyutparna (meaning: A leaf of Lightning), written in 1927, is one of the best of his one-act plays. He is often referred as the father of one-act drama in Bengal. the State Academy of West Bengal Award in 1971, and the award from University of Calcutta in 1972. He was the first recipient of the West Bengal government's highest drama award 'Dinabandhu Puraskar' in 1984. The University of North Bengal honored him with an honorary Doctor of Letters degree.