Tapash Roy, March 26, 2025: In the heart of a vibrant city, where the pulse of culture reverberates through every street, Parul Prakashani, one of Eastern India’s most illustrious publishing houses, commemorated the 75th anniversary of its founder, Gourdas Saha. This significant occasion unfolded in the B C Roy Auditorium near College Street, where a book launch and a felicitation ceremony took center stage. The grand unveiling of Aparajito, a compilation of insightful essays, chronicled the meteoric ascent of Parul Prakashani under the visionary stewardship of Saha. Swami Suparnanandaji Maharaj of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Golpark, presided over the release of this literary masterpiece, while the renowned singer Siddartha Sarnkar Ray, affectionately known as Sidhu, graced the event as a distinguished guest.
Beneath the weight of time’s passage, Aparajito bears witness to a remarkable journey of literary brilliance, edited by Chanchal Kumar Ghosh. The tome reveals how Parul Prakashani, born in Agartala in 1981, transcended its humble beginnings to become a beacon of excellence in publishing both text and reference works, while also nurturing the soul of Bengali literature. Saha’s unparalleled endeavors in reviving the historic Sandesh and Balak magazines stand as testament to his deep respect for tradition. Another crowning achievement was the acclaimed English edition of Gitanjali, a milestone that solidified Parul Prakashani’s standing in the literary world. Moreover, the publisher’s celebrated Muhurtakatha series, a collection of timeless short stories by revered authors such as Sunil Gangopadhyay, Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay, Buddhadeb Guha, Mahasweta Devi, Atin Bandyopadhyay, and Bani Basu, has etched itself as a transformative force in Bengali literature.
In the artful crafting of books, Saha remains an unyielding force, ensuring that each work that emerges from Parul Prakashani is not only meticulously edited but also impeccably printed. These books, adorned with covers that captivate the eye, serve as an homage to the marriage of aesthetics and substance. Beyond his collaborations with renowned authors, Saha’s legacy as a publisher extends to discovering and nurturing new literary voices. His influence is not confined to the written word alone, as he has also been a driving force in the modernization of Bengali comics and graphic novels, forging new frontiers in the realm of visual storytelling.
In the same spirit of recognition, the Brain of Bengal Award was presented during the event, honoring eleven distinguished individuals for their extraordinary contributions to literature, culture, arts, science, and social service. The recipients of this prestigious accolade included Sri Puranjan Prasad Chakraborty (Literature & Social Science), Prof. Asit Kumar Mondal (History & Social Studies), Dr. Subhas Chandra Ray (Education & Applied Psychology), Prof. Imankalyan Lahiri (Political & Social Science), Dr. Sandip Roy (Biological Science & Environmental Studies), Sri Tapas Kumar Purkait (Mathematics & Statistics), Prof. Chittaranjan Sinha (Chemistry & Environmental Studies), Prof. Madan Mohan Bhattacharya (Biological Science & Environmental Studies), Prof. Baridbaran Ghosh (Literature & Social Science), Prof. Santosh Kumar Ghorai (Physics & Environmental Studies), and Prof. Sampat Mukherjee (Economics & Social Science).
A gathering of eminent personalities from the spheres of literature, academia, and culture filled the atmosphere, transforming the event into a grand homage to Gourdas Saha’s enduring legacy, and celebrating his profound contributions to the world of publishing.
