Bani Basu


Bani Basu is a prolific Bengali Indian author, essayist, critic, poet, translator and professor.

Life

She received her formal education from the well-known Lady Brabourne College, Scottish Church College and at the University of Calcutta where she received M.A. in English.

Career

Basu began her career as a novelist with the publication of Janmabhoomi Mātribhoomi. A prolific writer, she started her professional career as an author from 1980, first in “Anandamala”, a juvenile magazine, then in “Desh” and other periodicals of the time.
She is known as a novelist, short story writer, essayist, and writings for children and teenagers. Some of her fictions have been made into films & TV Serials. The broad range of her fiction deals with gender, history, mythology, society, psychology, adolescence, music, sexual orientation, the supernatural, and more. Her major works include Swet Pātharer Thālā, Ekushe Pā, Maitreya Jātak, Gāndharvi, Pancham Purush and Ashtam Garbha. She also writes poetry, and translates extensively into Bengali.
She was awarded the Tarashankar Award for Antarghāt, and the Ananda Purashkar for Maitreya Jātak. She is also the recipient of the Sushila Devi Birla Award and the Sahitya Setu Puraskar. In 2010 she was awarded Sahitya Academy for her contributions to Bengali literature.

Film and television serial based on her books

  • Swet Patherer Thala
  • Gandharvi
  • Swet Patherer Thala
  • Ekushe Pa
  • Nandita
  • Mrs Gupta Ra
  • Jakhan Chand
  • Bhab Murti
  • Balleygunge Court
  • Shakhambherir Dwip
  • Amrita
  • Aapish

    Awards

  • Tara Sankar Award
  • Sahitya Setu Chandra
  • Siromoni Award
  • Ananda Puraskar
  • Bankim Award
  • Mahadevi Birla Award
  • Katha Award
  • Pratima Mitra Smiti Award
  • Kabi Kritibas Sahitya Award
  • Bhuban Mohini Dasi Swarna Padak, Calcutta University
  • Sachindra Nath Sahitya Award
  • Sahitya Akademi Award winners for Bengali|Sahitya Akademi Award]