Subhash Mukhopadhyay

Subhash Mukhopadhyay (; 12 February 1919 – 8 July 2003) was one of the foremost Indian Bengali poets of the 20th century. He is also known as the "podatik kobi" ("foot-soldier poet") in the field of Bengali literature. A book of thirty of Subhash's best known poems in English translation, titled ' As Day is Breaking', was published in 2014 by Anjan Basu, a Bangalore-based writer/critic. The book includes a rather detailed introduction to the poet's work as well. He was honoured with Jnanpith Award in 1991.

Early life Mukhopadhyay was born in 1919 in Krishnanagar, a town in Nadia district in the province of West Bengal. An excellent student, he studied philosophy at the Scottish Church College in Calcutta, graduating with honours in 1941.

Career Like his contemporary Sukanta Bhattacharya, Mukhopadhyay developed strong political beliefs at an early age. He was deeply committed to the cause of social justice, and was active in left-wing student politics through his college years. Following graduation, he formally joined the Communist Party of India. He thus became one of a handful of literary practitioners with first-hand experience as a party worker and activist.

In 1940, while still a student, he published his first volume of poetry Padatik (Pedestrian).

Besides the above, Subhash's work as a translator is notable. He is credited with having translated many of Nazim Hizmet's works into Bengali (from Turkish).

Personal life

Mukhopadhyay married Gita Bandyopadhyay, also a well-known writer, in 1951. They adopted three daughters, and later two more daughters and a son.

He had an older brother named Narayan Mukhopadhyay, who died many years ago in his youth. Narayan had a daughter named Taniya Mukherjee and a son called Ashish Mukherjee, from his wife Mira Mukherjee, who was a teacher by profession.

Subhash suffered from severe heart and kidney ailments, and died in Kolkata in July 2003, at the age of 84. He was survived by his wife Geeta Bandopadhyay.

Awards Mukhopadhyay received numerous awards and honours in his lifetime, including the two highest literary prizes in India: the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1964 (for Joto Dureii Jai), and the Jnanpith Award in 1991. The Government of India awarded the civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan in 2003.