Bangladeshi Novels is a two-decade-long initiative by Subrata Kumar Das, a writer, curator, and organizer. A member of the Writers’ Union of Canada and the Literary Translators’ Association of Canada, Subrata has contributed enormously to creating a bridge between Canadian Bengali writers and the Canadian Mainstream writing community.
Subrata is the recipient of Nalanda Best Canadian Bengali Author Award at Canadian South Asian Literary Festival 2023 and Gayatri GaMarsh Memorial Award in 2018.He was shortlisted as Best Canadian Immigrant Award in 2021.
Dr. Dilip Chakraborty’s following article may help you to understand Subrata: Subrata Kumar Das : The Torontonian Bengali Wonder Boy
During his ten years in Toronto life, Subrata’s main achievement is his involvement with Toronto International Festival of Authors – TIFA. As the first Bengali writer Subrata was invited to TIFA is 2020.
His fields of interest are fiction and education. For long he has involved students in intercultural dialogues across the world. He led a team in Mondialogo School Contest 2005-2006 conducted by UNESCO and became the leader-teacher of one of the 50 finalist teams and attended the Rome Symposium. In 2007, he attended Mondialogo Engineering Symposium, Mumbai.
Since 2007, he has worked as an Expert for Agenda21Now Internet Conference, conducted by some European Schools.
Since 1994, he has been writing enormously on different aspects, particularly on literature, education, and socio-cultural activities. Moreover, he has taken some initiatives to translate literary pieces written from Bengali into English and vice versa.
Subrata is married to Nilima Datta and a proud father of a daughter Brotee Das Datta. Since August 2013, he has been living in Toronto, Canada.
Publications
Published Books
1. Utsho theke Porobas, Dhaka, 2023
2. Kanadiyo Sahityo: Bichchhinno Vabna (Canadian Literature: Some Snapshots, Dhaka, 2019
3. SriChaitanyaDeb, Toronto, 2016
4. Aamar Mahabharata (My Mahabharata), Dhaka, 2014
5. Nazrul-biksha (Knowledge on Nazrul), Dhaka, 2013
6. Rabindranath: Ingreji Shekhano (Rabindranath: Teaching English), Dhaka, 2012
7. Rabindranath O Mahabharata (Rabindranath and the Mahabharata), Dhaka, 2012
8. Rabindranath: Kom-jana, Ojana (Rabindranath: Less-known, Unknown), Dhaka, 2011
9. Bangladesher Koyekjon Ouponyashik (Some Novelists of Bangladesh), Dhaka, 2005
10. Proshongo: Shiksha o Shahitya (About Education and Literature), Dhaka, 2005
11. Nazrul Bishoyok Doshti Probhondho (Ten Essays on Nazrul), Dhaka, 2004
12. Bangla Kathasahitya : Jadubastabata Ebong Onanyo (Bengali Literature: Magic Realism and Others), Dhaka, 2002
13. Nazruler ‘Bandhonhara’ (‘Bandhanhara of Nazrul), Dhaka, 2000
Translated Books
1. Rabindranath Tagore: India-Japan Cooperation Perspectives, India Center Foundation, Japan, 2011
2. Parobaas (Translation of Imdadul Haq Milon’s novel with Prof. Mozaffar Hossain), Dhaka, 2009
3. Christian Religious Studies for Class V (With Enayet Karim), National Curriculum for Textbook Board, Dhaka, 2007
4. Kazi Nazrul Islam: Speeches (With Prof. Mozaffar Hossain), Nazrul Institute, Dhaka, 2005
5. Kazi Nazrul Islam: Selected Prose (Translation), Nazrul Institute, Dhaka, 2004
Edited Books
1. Japan Probash (‘Japan in the Eyes of an Expatriate’ by Manmathanath Ghosh), Dhaka, 2012
2. Sekaler Bangla Samoyikpotre Japan (Japan in the Bengali Periodicals of the Bygone Days), Dhaka 2012
3. Ogronthito Mozaffar Hossain (Mozaffar Hossain’s Uncompiled Writings), Dhaka, 2011
4. Korokdi Ekti Gram (Korokdi is a Village), Dhaka, 2011
Links to some of his e-books
- Kazi Nazrul Islam: Selected Prose
- (Not) My Stories
- Rabindranath Tagore: Less Known Facts
- Rabindranath Tagore: India-Japan Cooperation Perspective
He was born in Kamarkhali in the district of Faridpur, Bangladesh in 1964. He is the fifth child among eight of his parents Geeta Rani Das and Late Baidyanath Das. He graduated with honors and completed his masters in English from Rajshahi University. Since January 1990, he has taught English literature at tertiary and college levels for more than twenty years. Earlier he was Associate Professor at Western College, and Cambrian College, Dhaka, Adjunct Faculty at Darul Ihsan University, and lecturer at Birshrestha Munshi Abdur Rouf Rifles College, Dhaka, Cantonment Public School and College, Savar, Kamarkhali Munshi Abdur Rouf Degree College, Faridpur. Previously he was also associated with BRAC as an editor. He had been involved with some other educational and literary institutions as well.
