image
Kylas Chunder Dutt: First Indian writer of fiction in English
Kolkata, May 15 (IBNS): Power Publishers recently launched a book named The Pindari Lover and Other Writings of Kylas Chunder Dutt, as a tribute to the first Indian writer of fiction and original narrative in English.
The book has been edited and introduced by Kalyan Chunder Dutt, former Principal and Emeritus Professor of Scottish Church College, who is also from the illustrious Dutt family of Kolkata that excelled in many ways.
Kylas Chunder Dutt's father Rosomoy was the first Indian puisne judge and first Indian secretary of Hindu College, according to historical notes. His niece was the famous poet Toru Dutt, daughter of his brother Govin Dutt.
The book, which was unveiled at a function in the Press Club, Kolkata, puts on record the archival discovery of the lost writings of Kylas Chunder Dutt (1817-1859).
As an eighteen year old student of Hindu College, Kylas Chunder was the first Indian to pen a fiction in English . His first story was published in the ‘Calcutta Literacy Gazette’ of 1835.
Apart from Kalyan Chunder Dutt, others present at the programme were Sahitya Academy award-winning author Binod Ghoshal, best-selling author Binayak Bandhyopadhya, veteran journalist Ranjan Bandopadhyay and film-director Aniket Chattopadhyay.
Said Kalyan Chunder Dutt: ‘This book project took a long time because I had to gather data from different sources. My appointment as principal in Scottish Church College also slowed down the work. But finally I managed to complete it."
He thanked the online coordinator of the book, Vineeta Dutt.
Apart from the book-launch, there was also a panel discussion on ‘Nineteenth Century Literature in Bengal.’
The event concluded with a reading from the book by Dr. Arpita Mukherjee of Scottish Church College.
The price of the book is Rs. 1,500 and will be available at all leading online bookstores Amazon.in, Amazon.com, Flipkart, Infibeam, Snapdel, shopclues, E-bay.in and Power-Publishers.com.
(Reporting by Ayana Chatterjee, Images by Avishek Mitra/IBNS)
Top Headlines
-
News
Union Budget 2025: Laxman Jaiswal calls depreciating rupee, declining stock market as critical challenges faced by Indian economy
January 22, 2025
-
News
Donald Trump takes oath as 47th US President
January 21, 2025
-
News
Sona SPEED partners Sarla Aviation to design-make critical components for eVTOL air taxi
January 20, 2025
-
News
Magh Bihu celebrated in Kolkata
January 15, 2025
-
News
Justin Trudeau announces resignation as Canada's PM amid rising pressure by partymates
January 06, 2025
-
News
30 shots fired in mass shooting outside New York nightclub that injured 11: NYPD
January 02, 2025
-
News
Truck driver who rammed into New Orleans crowd flying ISIS flag identified as US Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar
January 02, 2025
-
News
US: Mass shooting at a New York nightclub, 11 people shot
January 02, 2025
-
News
Jimmy Carter, longest-living US president, dies at 100
December 30, 2024
-
News
Flight catches fire after rough landing in Canada amid South Korean plane crash
December 29, 2024