Mukhopaddhay, Subhash

Mukhopaddhay, Subhash (1919-2003) poet, politician, was born on 12 February 1919 at Krishnanagar in Nadia, district of West Bengal. His father Khitishchandra Mukhopaddhay was a prosecutor in the Narcotics Department. His mother's name was Jamini Devi.

Subhash Mukhopaddhay did his matriculation in 1937 from Mitra School of Bhawanipur in Calcutta and his IA in 1939 from Scottish Church College. At this time he came in contact with poet samar sen and became attracted to Marxism. He became known in the literary circle as a poet for the working class after his book of poems Padatik was published in 1940. He joined the Communist Party after he did his graduation in 1941. He was given membership of the party in 1942. After the Communist Party was banned in 1948, he was arrested along with Abdur Razzak, Satish Pakrashi, Parvez Shahidi, Charu Majumdar, Girija Mukherjee and Chinmohan Sehanobish. Following his release from jail in November 1950, he joined a publishing house as sub-editor. After his book of poems Chirkoot was published in 1950, he earned fame as a poet in the tradition of Marxist materialism. A year later he became the editor of journal Parichoy.

Subhash Mukhopaddhay was also a powerful writer in prose. The depth of his intellect was revealed in such books of his essays as Amar Bangla (1951), Akkhore Akkhore (1954), and Kothar Kotha (1955). He also demonstrated his organizing ability as a leader in the literary and cultural arenas. In 1958 he represented India at the Tashkent conference of Afro-Asian writers.

At every phase of Subhash Mukhopaddhay's life what is in evidence is unfolding of humanism. In his literary endeavour he firmly expressed his belief in the limitless possibilities of human efforts. This is why it is said Subhash Mukhopaddhay's literary activities were just another name of his life's philosophy. He exhibited the meaningfulness of life by placing human beings at the core of society, politics, literature, scientific discoveries and everything else. This positive attitude made his poems distinctive. He desired to show his poems as the source of inspiration for awakening the hard working productive human beings. He was keen to exhibit his political experience through the image of his literary work. As an artist, he did not believe in 'Arts for arts sake'. This is why his poems are a fusion of the poet and the worker. Forever he tried to forsake unintelligibility in his poems. For it was his aim to awaken and sharpen the consciousness of the common people. And to that end he desired his voice to reach every strata of the people. He regarded simplicity as a prime quality of poems. It was his belief that a poet of the society has to be understood easily. This is why Subhash Mukhopaddhay's poems portray the life struggle of the common man in the interest of social and political awareness.

Among his other well-known books of poems are Phul Futuk (1957), Joto Durei Jai (1962), Kal Modhumas (1966), Ei Bhai (1971), Chhele Gechhe Bone (1972) and Dhormer Kol (1991). Books in prose: Khoma Nei (1972), and Khola Hatey Khola Mone (1987). Autobiography: Amader Sobhar Apon Dholgobinder Atmadorshan (1987) and Dholgobinder Mone Chilo Ei (1984). Novels: Hangras (1972), Ke Kothay Jai (1976) and Kancha-Paka (1989). It may be mentioned here that he resigned from membership of the Communist Party (1981) before publication of his book Comrade, Kotha Kau (1990). He died on 8 July 2003. [Tareq Reza]