Nalini Das

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

Nalini Das
Born1916[1]
Died1993[1]
NationalityIndian
Occupation(s)Educationist, writer, editor
Known forNotable Bengali writer of mid 20th century
Notable workGoyenda Gondalu, Editor of Sandesh Children's magazine

Nalini Das ( 5 August 1916 – 26 March 1993) was a Bengali educationist, writer and editor. She was one of the editors of the Bengali children's magazine Sandesh.

Early life[edit]

Nalini Das was born to Arunnath Chakraborty and Punyalata (Ray Chowdhury). Her father was a deputy magistrate posted in Bihar, and her mother was the daughter of Bengali writer, technologist and entrepreneur Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury.[1][2][3] Bengali writer Sukumar Ray was her maternal uncle, and Oscar-winning filmmaker Satyajit Ray her cousin.[4] She completed her matriculation from the Brahmo Balika Shikshalaya and IA from St. John's Diocesan Girls' Higher Secondary School in Calcutta.[5]

She studied philosophy at Scottish Church College, Calcutta.[6] She studied for the master's degree in philosophy at the University of Calcutta.[citation needed] She was a brilliant scholar and came first class first in both B.A. and M.A. examinations. In B.A. she scored highest marks among arts examinees in all subjects.[citation needed]

Professional career[edit]

Das was a member of the faculty of the Department of Philosophy in the Victoria Institution immediately after her education. Later on she joined the Educational Service of the Bengal Government. In 1945, she was sent to England on a government scholarship for learning about school teachers' training. On return, she joined the newly established David Hare Training College. When a separate teachers' training college for women, the Institute of Education for Women, was set up, she became a senior member of its faculty. Later she became the principal of that Institute.

Later she was the principal (1968–1974) of Bethune College.[7] An award honouring her is given for best all-round performance in the college.[8]

Writer and editor[edit]

Along with her elder sister, Kalyani Karlekar, in the 1930s and 1940s she edited a Bengali a women's magazine Meyeder Katha.[2]

Das created the first schoolgirl female detectives of Bengali literature.[9] The Goenda Gondalu (translated into English as the Lu Quartet by Swapna Dutta),[2] are four young schoolgirls who solve mysteries.[10]

From 1964 till her death in 1993, she was one of the three editors of the Bengali children's magazine Sandesh, which operated out of her home.[11] She wrote a book about the childhood days of her cousin Satyajit Ray, Shaat Rajar Dhon Ek Manik.[4] She edited children's books along with Lila Majumdar and Ray.

Personal life[edit]

Nalini Das married Ashokananda Das, brother of Bengali poet Jibanananda Das.[1][12] Writer and publisher Amitananda Das is their son. Amitananda Das went on to marry Krishna Roy and they have a daughter.[13][14]

Awards[edit]

Nalini Das was awarded the Vidyasagar Memorial Award in 1990 by West Bengal Govt.[15]

Published works[edit]

Title Publisher Year
Ra-Ka-Je-Te-Na-Pa New Script 1958
Rangangarer Rahashya Granthaprakash 1978
Madhyarater Ghorshoyar Ananda 1980
Oshoririr Ashor - Edited by Lila Majumdar, Nalini Das and Satyajit Ray New Script 1988
Hatighishar Hanabari New Script
Saras Rahashya - Edited by Lila Majumdar, Nalini Das and Satyajit Ray New Script 1989
Shaat Rajar Dhon Ek Manik New Script 1993
Upendra Kishore Rochona Samagra Annapurna Prakashani
Moruprasader Rahashya Ananda Publishers 1993
Goyenda Gondalu Samagra - I New Script 2009
Goyenda Gondalu Samagra - II New Script 2012
The Lu Quartet - Super sleuth and other stories Hachette India 2012
Galpa O Upanyas Samagra - III New Script 2014
Europer Chithi New Script 2016

[16]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "মেজ সম্পাদক". ABP. Ananda Bazar Patrika. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  2. ^ a b c Das, Nalini (February 2013). The Lu quartet : super sleuths and other stories. Hachette India. ISBN 978-93-5009-322-1.
  3. ^ Ray, Satyajit (1983). Jakhon Chhoto Chhilam. Ānanda. ISBN 81-7066-880-8.
  4. ^ a b Das, Nalini. Shaat Rajar Dhon Ek Manik (2nd (January 2005) ed.). Calcutta: New Script.
  5. ^ "Alumni". St. John's Diocesan Girls' Higher Secondary School. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  6. ^ Some Alumni of Scottish Church College in 175th Year Commemoration Volume. Scottish Church College, April 2008, p. 590.
  7. ^ "Department of Philosophy". Bethune College. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  8. ^ "Department of Chemistry". Bethune College.
  9. ^ Ghatak, Anchita (16 May 2015). "Detective Mitin Mashi, not middle-class tales, might be Suchitra Bhattacharya's lasting legacy". Scroll. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  10. ^ Sen, Jash (18 December 2016). "Go goyenda! A guide to the Bengali detectives who made it to the screen and the ones who need to". Scroll. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  11. ^ Basu, Anasuya (14 October 2017). "Children's treat in autumn". ABP. The Telegraph. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  12. ^ "পৃথিবীতে নেই কোনো বিশুদ্ধ চাকরি". No. 2019–02–17. Prothom Alo. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  13. ^ Das, Nalini (February 2009). Goyenda Gondalu Samagra 1 (1st ed.). Calcutta: New Script.
  14. ^ Ghorai, Debashish. "সব পাখি ঘরে আসে, সব নদী, আসেন না জীবনানন্দ!". No. 2018–09–15. ABP. Ananda Bazar Patrika. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  15. ^ "পুরস্কার বিজয়ী বাঙালি লেখক". State Central Library Kolkata - Government of West Bengal. Archived from the original on 17 October 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  16. ^ ""au:"নলিনী দাশ"". WEST BENGAL PUBLIC LIBRARY OPAC. Retrieved 8 March 2019.