Shibram Chakraborty

Shibram Chakraborty (1903–1980) was an Indian writer and humorist. His best known short stories and novels are renowned for their unique use of pun, alliteration, play of words and ironic humour. He was a prolific author who also wrote poems, plays, non-fiction and novels for mature audiences in his long career.

Personal life Chakraborty was born into the well-known Chanchal Rajbari (royal house of Chanchal) family, although his ancestral home was in Malda. However the ancestral seat of the Chakrabarty family was at Choa in Murshidabad District. He was born at his maternal uncle's house at Nayan Chand Dutta Street, Darjipara in Kolkata, the capital of British India. His father was Shibprashad Chakrabarty. A spiritualist by nature, Shibprashad would often speak of the road. Shibram inherited his wanderlust from his father. Aside from funny stories, his other notable writings include the dramatisation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel Dena Paona (দেনা পাওনা) under the title Shoroshi [ষোড়শী] (Sixteen Year Old Girl), the political work Moscow bonam Pondicheri [মস্কো বনাম পন্ডিচেরি] (Moscow Versus Pondicheri;) and the play Jokhon Tara Kotha Bolbe [যখন তারা কথা বলবে] (When They Will Speak). His (so called) autobiography Eeshwar Prithibee Valobasa (ঈশ্বর পৃথিবী ভালবাসা) (God Earth Love) is also regarded as one of his best works. During his 60-year career he authored more than 150 books.

Last phase of life and death In the last phase of his life, he ran into serious financial difficulties and the Government of West Bengal put him on a monthly allowance. He died in Kolkata in 1980. Very few people attended his cremation, including a few of his very close friends like Shakti Chattopadhyay and Sunil Ganguly.