Nihar Ranjan Gupta

{{Short description|Indian dermatologist and novelist (1911–1986)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Nihar Ranjan Gupta

| image = Nihar_Ranjan_Gupta.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Nihar Ranjan Gupta

| native_name = নীহাররঞ্জন গুপ্ত

| native_name_lang = bn

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1911|6|6}}

| birth_place = Narail, Presidency Division, British India

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1986|2|20|1911|6|6}}

| death_place = Calcutta, West Bengal, India

| occupation = Physician, novelist, script writer

| spouse =

| children =

| nationality = Indian

| known_for = Kiriti Roy

}}

Nihar Ranjan Gupta ({{langx|bn|নীহাররঞ্জন গুপ্ত}}, pen name: Banbhatta (বানভট্ট); 6 June 1911 – 20 February 1986) was an Indian dermatologist and a popular Bengali novelist. He is the creator of the fictional detective character Kiriti Roy. Some of his writings were made into films of Bengal and Bollywood.{{cite encyclopedia |editor1-last=Sengupta |editor1-first=Subhodh Chandra |editor2-last=Basu |editor2-first=Anjali |encyclopedia=Samsad Bangali Charitabhidhan (Bibliographical Dictionary) |script-title=bn:নীহাররঞ্জন গুপ্ত |trans-title=Nihar Ranjan Gupta |language=bn |edition=4th |date=January 2002 |publisher=Shishu Sahitya Samsad |volume=2 |location=Kolkata |isbn=81-85626-65-0 |page=168|title=Sansad Bangali charitabhidhan }}{{cite news |title=Kolkatar Kadcha |newspaper=Anandabazar Patrika |date=27 June 2011 |page=4}}{{cite web |url=http://www.jessore.info/index.php?option=content&page=details&value=229 |script-title=bn:নীহার রঞ্জন গুপ্ত |last1=Bipul |first1=Mohammad Hasanuzzaman |last2=Shanta |first2=Samiul Amin |publisher=Jessore.Info |language=bn |access-date=10 September 2011 |archive-date=2 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402093059/http://www.jessore.info/index.php?option=content&page=details&value=229 |url-status=live }}

Early life

Gupta came from a Kabiraj family of Itna village under Lohagara police station, in the district of Jessore, presently in the Narail district of Bangladesh.{{citation needed|date= October 2022}} He was born to Satya Ranjan Gupta and Labangalata Devi on 6 June 1911, in Narail district where his father used to work. He spent his childhood in Narail Due to his father's transferable job, he had to attend several schools, including Gaibandha High School. In 1930 he passed Matriculation from Konnagar High School. After completing his I.Sc. from Krishnagar Government College, Krishnanagar, he took admission to Carmichael Medical College. While a student at the college, his elder sister died of scorpion sting. Young Gupta vowed to earn higher degree in the medical sciences to serve the ill.

Career

During the Second World War Gupta served as an army doctor and was posted to various places, including Chittagong, Burma and Egypt. After the war he completed post-graduate studies in the United Kingdom, specialising in dermatology. On his return he joined the Calcutta Medical College. In his career as a physician he was associated with several hospitals in India. After the Partition, his family permanently migrated to Kolkata in 1947.{{cite news |script-title=bn:নড়াইলে সুলতানের শিশুস্বর্গ এখন জুয়াড়িদের আখড়া |url=http://www.banglanews24.com/detailsnews.php?nssl=07d5938693cc3903b261e1a3844590ed&nttl=201009037265 |newspaper=Banglanews24.com |date=3 September 2010 |language=bn |access-date=10 September 2011 |archive-date=22 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120922065323/http://www.banglanews24.com/detailsnews.php?nssl=07d5938693cc3903b261e1a3844590ed&nttl=201009037265 |url-status=dead }}

As a child Gupta always dreamed of becoming a writer. He once went to Shantiniketan to seek the blessings of Rabindranath Tagore and took his autograph. At the age of eighteen he composed his first novel, Rajkumar. After schooling, Gupta took admission in the Calcutta Medical College, then affiliated with the University of Calcutta. During his stay in England he developed a keen interest in detective stories and met Agatha Christie. After coming back to India, he wrote his first detective novel, Kalo Bhramar (meaning The Black Hornet), which launched his detective character Kiriti Roy [কিরীটী রায়]. In his literary career Gupta has composed over two hundred novels, plays, short stories and essays. The most popular among them are Ulka, Badshah, Lalubhulu, Uttarphalguni, Asti Bhagirathi Tire, Mayur Mahal, Devyani, Neeltara, Mayamriga, Komalgandhar and Nishipadma. Forty five of his novels have been made into Bengali and Hindi feature films in Tollywood and Bollywood respectively.{{cite news |title=Nihar Ranjan Gupta's birth anniversary observed |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=91614 |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=8 June 2009 |access-date=10 September 2011}} He was also the editor of a children's magazine named Sabuj Sahitya.

Legacy

In 1988, SM Sultan founded the Shishuswarga-2 at the ancestral house of Gupta in Itna. It was officially inaugurated on 24 November 1993, by the Mohammad Ali Hossain, the then district magistrate of Narail. However, the activities of the children's organisation ceased after the death of SM Sultan. The house became infested by bats and illegal betting syndicates. In 2003, the archaeological department of Bangladesh notified the acquisition of Gupta's ancestral house. As of 2017, the ancestral house of Nihar Ranjan Gupta lies in a dilapidated condition, and no repairs have been made.{{Cite news|title=Ancestral house of Nihar Ranjan Gupta lies abandoned in Narail|url=https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/ancestral-house-of-nihar-ranjan-gupta-lies-abandoned-in-narail-1509374821|access-date=2021-12-29|work=The Financial Express|date=30 October 2017 |language=en|archive-date=29 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211229171745/https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/ancestral-house-of-nihar-ranjan-gupta-lies-abandoned-in-narail-1509374821|url-status=live}}

Adapted works

Maya Mriga (1960)
Thayi Karulu (1962) [Remade as Thayin Karunai (Tamil)]- Ulka {{Cite web | url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ulke1FGbJKs&feature=youtu.be | title=Tiger Prabhakar Tragic Story | ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಸ್ವಾರಸ್ಯಗಳು-Cinema Swarasyagalu Ep-17 | Hariharapura Manjuanth | website=YouTube | date=2 April 2021 | access-date=5 April 2021 | archive-date=20 January 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240120111629/https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=ulke1FGbJKs&feature=youtu.be | url-status=live }}
Annai (1962) (Remake of the 1960 Bengali film Maya Mriga) - Story Credit
Kunkhumam (1963)
Meri Surat Teri Ankhen (1963) – Ulka{{cite news |title=Meri Surat Teri Ankhen (1963) |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/meri-surat-teri-ankhen-1963/article1327364.ece |work=The Hindu |access-date=29 April 2013 |archive-date=6 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606234622/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/meri-surat-teri-ankhen-1963/article1327364.ece |url-status=live }}
Uttar Falguni (1963) (Remade as Mamta , Kaaviya Thalaivi and Pushpanjali){{cite news |title=Blast From The Past: Mamta (1966) |url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2010/04/02/stories/2010040250230400.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029212111/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2010/04/02/stories/2010040250230400.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 October 2013 |date=2 April 2010 |work=The Hindu |access-date=29 April 2013}}
Badsha (1963)
Tapashi (Bengali - 1965)
Laadla (1966) (Remake of 1960 Bengali film Maya Mriga)
Mere Lal (1966) (Remake of Bengali film Badsha)
Nai Roshni (1967) (Remade as Poovum Pottum and Punyavathi)
Deiva Magan (1969) [Remade as Thaayi Mamathe(Kannada) and Raktha Sambandham(Telugu)] - Ulka
Devara Kannu (1975) [Remade as Annan Oru Koyil , Ellaam Ninakku Vendi and Bangaru Chellelu(Telugu)]
Do Anjaane (1976) (Remade as Maavari Manchitanam and Aaseya Bale)– Ratrir Yatri{{cite news |title=Rekha breaks her silence |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/rekha-breaks-her-silence/article819918.ece |work=The Hindu |date=8 October 2010 |access-date=29 April 2013 |archive-date=20 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240120111640/https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/Rekha-breaks-her-silence/article15780048.ece |url-status=live }}
Kalankini Kankabati (1981){{Cite web|title=Book - Kalankini Kankabati - Niharranjan Gupta|url=https://www.calcuttaweb.com/book-kalankini-kankabati-niharranjan-gupta|access-date=2021-12-29|website=Calcuttaweb Shopping|language=en|archive-date=16 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516044227/https://www.calcuttaweb.com/book-kalankini-kankabati-niharranjan-gupta|url-status=dead}}
Lalu Bhulu (1983)
Kiriti O Kalo Bhromor (2016){{cite web |url=http://ebela.in/entertainment/kiriti-o-kalo-bhromor-trailer-released-dgtl-1.457785 |script-title=bn:মুক্তি পেল 'কিরীটী ও কালো ভ্রমর'-এর ট্রেলার, দেখুন ভিডিও |website=Ebela |language=bn |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817145512/http://ebela.in/entertainment/kiriti-o-kalo-bhromor-trailer-released-dgtl-1.457785 |archive-date=17 August 2016}}
Kiriti Roy (2016)
Ebong Kiriti (2017)
Nilacholey Kiriti (2018)