Bandyopadhyay, Srikumar

Bandyopadhyay, Shrikumar (1892-1970) educationists and literary critic, was born on 23 March 1892 in the village of Hatia in Birbhum district, west bengal. He hailed from Kushmor village of the same district.

After passing the Entrance examination in 1906, Srikumar completed FA from Hetampur College in 1908, BA in English from Church Scottish College in 1910 and MA in English from Calcutta University in 1912. In 1927 he received the doctoral degree from Calcutta University for his dissertation titled 'Romantic Theory-Wordsworth and Coleridge'.

Srikumar started teaching at Ripon College. Subsequently he taught English literature at various institutions, including presidency college, rajshahi college and Calcutta University, where he became Head of the Bangla Department as well as ramtanu lahiri Professor. He served in this post till 1955. After partition in 1947 he joined the Indian Congress party and was elected to the West Bengal Legislative Council.

Srikumar was a literary critic and wrote fluently in both Bangla and English. His published works include histories and critiques of both Bangla and English literature. Among his notable works are Banga Sahitye Upanyaser Dhara (1938), Bangala Sahityer Katha (1946), Engreji Sahityer Itihas (1946), Bangala Sahityer Bikasher Dhara (1959), Sahitya O Sangskrtir Tirthasangame (1962), Rabindra Srsti-Samiksa (1969), Critical Theory and Practice in the Lyrical Ballads, etc. He also helped edit Samalochana Sahitya (1952), Kavikankan Chandi, Unavingsha Shataker Nitikavita Sangkalan (1960), etc. He died on 28 February 1970. [Mahbubul Haque]