Bhaduri, Satinath

Bhaduri, Satinath (1906-1965) novelist, politician. He is also known by his literary pseudonym, Chitra Gupta, was born on 27 September 1906 at Purnia, Bihar, where Indubhusan Bhaduri, his father, practised law. His ancestral home was in Krishnanagar in the district of nadia.

Satinath obtained MA in Economics from Patna University in 1930. In 1931 he completed his BL degree and started practising law at Patna (1932-1939). He then joined Congress and became District Secretary of Purnia. For political reasons, he suffered imprisonment twice, 1940-41 and 1942-45. In 1948, he fell out with the Congress and joined the Socialist Party.

Satinath's novel, Jagari (1946), for which he received the first Rabindra Award (1950), earned him considerable reputation. As a political novel, Jagari occupies a unique place in bangla literature. He also wrote a travelogue, Satyi Bhraman Kahini (1951), about his experiences in Paris. His other noteworthy works include Gananayak (1948), Chitragupter File (1949), Dhondai Charita Manas (2 parts, 1949, 1951), Achin Ragini (1954), Aparichita (1954), Sangkat (1957), Alok Drsti (1964), etc. Most of his writings portray the life-style of the people of Bihar. He died on 30 March 1965. [Abul Hasnat]