Eminent Bengali writer Shankar passes away at 93

Eminent Bengali writer Monishankar Mukhopadhyay, popularly known as Shankar, passed away at a private hospital in India's Kolkata today (20 February) due to age-related complications. He was 93.

His family members confirmed the death.

Shankar had been unwell for some time and was undergoing treatment at Peerless Hospital in south Kolkata following a lung infection earlier this month. He returned home after a few days but was later hospitalised again. The news of his death came around 1pm.

One of the most widely read authors in modern Bengali literature, Shankar was known for novels such as Chowringee, Jana Aranya, Seemabaddha, Koto Ajanare, Samrat O Sundari, Charan Chhuey Jai and Jekhane Jemon. His writings vividly portrayed urban life in Kolkata and the struggles and aspirations of the middle class.

Chowringee, first published in 1962, follows the life of an ambitious young man who finds work at the Shahjahan Hotel after losing his job. The novel explores the lives of the city's elite and remains one of his most celebrated works. It was adapted into a film in 1968.

Two of his novels, Jana Aranya and Seemabaddha, were adapted into films by legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray as part of his acclaimed Calcutta trilogy. Chowringee was also made into a film by director Pinaki Bhusan Mukherjee, starring screen icon Uttam Kumar in the lead role.

Earlier, filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak had begun work on a film based on Shankar's first novel Kato Ajanare, but the project was shelved due to financial constraints.

Shankar was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2021 in recognition of his contribution to literature. He is survived by two daughters.

Born in Howrah on 7 December 1933, Shankar began his professional life at a young age as a clerk to Noel Frederick Barwell, the last British barrister to practise in India at the Calcutta High Court.

His experience working with Barwell later became the foundation of his debut book Koto Ajanare, which brought him instant literary recognition and established him as a major new voice in Bengali literature.

Beyond his acclaimed urban novels, Shankar also authored several works on spiritual figures including Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Swami Vivekananda, reflecting his deep engagement with India's philosophical and religious traditions.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condoled his death, calling it an "irreparable loss to the cultural world".

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Banerjee wrote, "I am deeply shocked and saddened by the passing of the renowned Bengali litterateur Mani Shankar Mukhopadhyay (Shankar). His death marks the fall of one of the brightest stars in the world of Bengali literature."