Shankha Ghosh


Sankha Ghosh was an Indian poet and literary critic. He was born in Chandpur District of the then Bengal Presidency, present day Bangladesh. His ancestral home was at Banaripara Upazila in Barisal District. He spent his childhood and adolescence in Ishwardi Upazila of Pabna District, which was his father's workplace.
Ghosh passed matriculation from Chandraprabha Vidyapitha, Pabna. He got his undergraduate degree in Arts in Bengali from Presidency College, Kolkata in 1951 and subsequently his master's degree from the University of Calcutta in the year 1954.
Acclaimed in India, his work lacks global recognition due to poor English translations.

Career

Ghosh taught at many educational institutions, including Bangabasi College, City College and at Jadavpur University, Jangipur College, Berhampore Girls' College all in Kolkata and West Bengal. He retired from Jadavpur University in 1992. In 1967, he participated in the International Writing Program's Fall Residency at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA. He also taught at Delhi University, the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies at Shimla, and at the Visva-Bharati University. He won many awards including Jnanpith Award in 2016. His pen name was Kuntak. Among the most respected names in contemporary Bengali literature, Ghosh was one of the ‘Pancha Pandavas’— along with Shakti Chattopadhyay, Sunil Gangopadhyay, Binoy Majumdar and Utpal Kumar Basu — who gave a new identity to the Bengali literary world.
Ghosh was a member of the Social Network for Assistance to People that published a ground-breaking survey in 2014 that revealed the extent of poverty among the Muslim community of West Bengal.

Death

Ghosh and his wife tested positive for COVID-19 on 14 April 2021. Later he suffered from several complications and died on 21 April 2021, at his home in Kolkata. 8 days after poet's death, his wife Pratima Ghosh also died from COVID-19 complications.

Literary contributions

Shankha Ghosh made contribution to the world of Bengali poetry. ‘Days and Nights’, ‘Babar’s Prayer’, ‘Face Covered in Advertisement’, ‘Gandharva Poems’ are his notable books of poetry.Although Shankha Ghosh was initially known as a 'poet', his prose works are numerous. He has combined poetry and prose. He was an eminent Rabindra expert, noting Rabindranath Tagore's 'Ocampore Rabindranath', 'A Amir Awaran', 'Kaler Matra O Rabindra Natak', 'Chhander Baranda' and 'Damini's Song'. ‘Words and Truth’, ‘Urvashir Hasi’, ‘Ahan Sab Alik’ are his other notable prose works. His writings have been studied and popular in Bengali for years. The poetic mind of Shankha Ghosh, its speed is two-way. On the one hand, that mind is always aware of the repercussions of all the socio-political events of the day.Ghosh's sensitive poetry roared against any unjust injustice in the society. The people of the lower classes, the poor can get the poetry of Shankha Ghosh as a companion to their daily suffering. Shankha Ghosh work identifies inequality of society, lack of justice with his infallible poems.

Works

Poetics
1. Dinguli rātaguli
2. Ekhan samaẏa naẏ
3. Nihita pātālachāẏā
4. Saṅkha ghōṣēr śrēṣṭha kabitā
5. Adima latāgulmamaẏ
6. Mūrkha baṛa sāmājika naẏa
7. Baburēr prārthanā
8. Minibook
9. Tumi to temon gaurī na'ō
10. Panjarē dāṛēr Shabda
11. Kabitāsangraha -1
12. Praharajōṛā tritāla
13. Mukh ḍhēkē jay Bigyapanē
14. Bandhurā māti tarajāẏa
15. Dhuma lēgēchē hr̥idakamalē
16. Kabitāsaṅgraha - 2
17.Lainei chilāma bābā
18. Gāndharva kabitāguccha
19.Saṅkha ghōṣēr nirbācita prēmēr kabitā
20. Mini kabitār boi
21. Saber uparē śāmiẏānā
22.Chhandēr bhitarē ēto andhakār
23. Jol'i pāṣāṇ hoẏē āchē
24. Samasta khatēr mukhē pali
25. Māṭikhōm̐ṛā purōnō karōṭi
26. Gōṭādēśajōṛā ja'ughara
27. Hāsikhuśi mukhē sarbanāś
28. Prati praśnē jēgē ōṭhē bhiṭē
29.Bahus Various stabdha paṛē āchē
30.prēmēra kabitā
31. śaṅkha ghōṣēra kabitāsaṅgraha
32. śuni nīraba ciṯkāra
33. ē'ō ēka byathā upaśama
Prose
1. kālēra mātrā ō rabīndranāṭak
2. niḥśabdēra tarjanī,1972
2. Chhonder Baranda 1972
3. E Amir Aboron 1980
4. Urbashir Hasi 1981
5. Shobdo Ar Satya 1982
6. Nirmhan Ar Srishti 1982
7. Kalpanar Historia 1984
8. Journal 1985
9. Ghumiye Pora Album 1986
10. Kobitar Muhurto 1987
11. Kobitalekha Kobitapora 1988
12. Aitihyer Bistar 1989
13. Chhandamoy Jibon 1993
14. Kobir Abhipray 1994
15. Ekhono Shob Alik K 1994
16. Boiyer Ghor 1996
17. Somoyer Jolchhobi 1998
18. Kobir Barmā 1998
19. Ishara Abirat 1999
20. Ei Shahar Rakhal 2000
21. Ichhamatir Mosha: Bhraman 2002
22. Daminir Gan 2002
23. Gadyasangraha 1-6 2002
24. Abishwase’r Bastab 2003
25. Gadyasangraha - 7 2003
26. Saman’yo Asaman’yo 2006
27. Prem Padabali 2006
28. Chhera Kambiser Bag 2007
29. Somaypote Shankha Ghosh: Kobita Sonkolon 2008
30. Bhinna Rucir Adhikar 2009
31. Aroop Ar Udbhavon 2011
32. Bot Pakur Er Phena 2011
33. Gadyasangraha - 8 2013
34. Dekhar Drishti 2014
35. Ayowar Diary 2014
36. Nirbachito Prabandha: Rabindranath 2014
37. Nirbachito Prabandha: Nana Prasanga 2014
38. Nirbachito Gadyalekha 2015
39. Gadyasangraha - 9 2015
40. He Mahajiban: Rabindra Prasanga 2016
41. Berate Jabar Sinri 2016
42. Alpo Swalpo Katha 2016
43. Nirahang Shilpi 2017
44. Gadyasangraha-10 2018
45. Lekha Jakhan Hoy Na 2019
46. Param Bandhu Pradyumna 2019
47. Sandhyandir Jole: Bangladesh Sonkolon 2019
48. Chhere Rekhei Dhore Rakha 2021

Awards