Nihar Ranjan Gupta (, pen name: ''Banbhatta'' (বানভট্ট); 6 June 1911 – 20 February 1986) was an Indian dermatologist and a popular

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

novelist. He is the creator of the fictional detective character Kiriti Roy. Some of his writings were made into films of

Bengal Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...

and

Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...

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 Narail District () is a district in south-western Bangladesh. It is a part of Khulna Division. History Narail town was named after a feudal lord (a zamindar). The zamindars established a market at Roopgonj, also named after a zamindar. They est ...

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

. He was born to Satya Ranjan Gupta and Labangalata Devi on 6 June 1911, in

where his father used to work. He spent his childhood in

Narail Narail is a city in the Khulna division of southwestern Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous cou ...

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 World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Gupta served as an army doctor and was posted to various places, including

Chittagong Chittagong ( ), officially Chattogram, (, ) (, or ) is the second-largest city in Bangladesh. Home to the Port of Chittagong, it is the busiest port in Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal. The city is also the business capital of Bangladesh. It ...

Burma Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...

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 Medical College, Kolkata, also known as Calcutta Medical College, is a Government medical college and hospital located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It is one of the oldest existing hospitals in Asia. The institute was established on 28 Janua ...

. In his career as a physician he was associated with several hospitals in India. After the Partition, his family permanently migrated to

Kolkata Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...

in 1947. As a child Gupta always dreamed of becoming a writer. He once went to Shantiniketan to seek the blessings of

Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Thakur (; anglicised as Rabindranath Tagore ; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengalis, Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter of the Bengal Renai ...

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 The University of Calcutta, informally known as Calcutta University (), is a Public university, public State university (India), state university located in Kolkata, Calcutta (Kolkata), West Bengal, India. It has 151 affiliated undergraduate c ...

. During his stay in England he developed a keen interest in detective stories and met

Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English people, English author known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving ...

. After coming back to India, he wrote his first detective novel, '' Kalo Bhramar'' (meaning ''The Black Hornet''), which launched his detective character Kiriti Roy ��িরীটী 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

and

Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

feature films in Tollywood and Bollywood respectively. 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.

Adapted works

* ''Maya Mriga'' (1960) * '' Thayi Karulu'' (1962) emade as ''Thayin Karunai'' (Tamil) '' Ulka'' * '' Annai'' (1962) (Remake of the 1960 Bengali film ''Maya Mriga'') - Story Credit * ''

Kunkhumam ''Kunkhumam'' () is a 1963 Indian Tamil-language film directed by Krishnan–Panju and written by Sakthi T. K. Krishnasamy. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, Urvashi Sarada (in her Tamil debut), S. S. Rajendran, C. R. Vijayakumari and R. Muthu ...

'' (1963) * '' Meri Surat Teri Ankhen'' (1963) – ''Ulka'' * ''

Uttar Falguni ''Uttar Falguni'' () is a 1963 Indian Bengali-language drama film directed by Asit Sen and produced by Uttam Kumar, starring Suchitra Sen in a double role, Bikash Roy and Dilip Mukherjee in lead. At the 11th National Film Awards, the film ...

'' (1963) (Remade as '' Mamta'' , ''

Kaaviya Thalaivi ''Kaviya Thalaivi'' ( ) is a 1970 Indian Tamil-language film, written and directed by K. Balachander and produced by Sowcar Janaki. It is a remake of the 1963 Bengali film '' Uttar Falguni''. Janaki also stars alongside Gemini Ganesan, Rav ...

'' and '' Pushpanjali'') * ''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 ''Poovum Pottum'' () is 1968 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film directed by Dada Mirasi and produced by Vasu Menon. The film stars S. V. Ranga Rao, A. V. M. Rajan, Muthuraman and Bhanumathi. It is a remake of Bengali film ''Taposhi'' ...

'' and '' Punyavathi'') * ''

Deiva Magan ''Deiva Magan'' ( ) is a 1969 Indian Tamil-language drama film written and directed by A. C. Tirulokchander. An adaptation of the Bengali novel '' Ulka'' by Nihar Ranjan Gupta, it stars Sivaji Ganesan in three roles and Jayalalithaa, with ...

'' (1969) emade as ''Thaayi Mamathe''(Kannada) and ''Raktha Sambandham''(Telugu)- ''Ulka'' * '' Devara Kannu'' (1975) emade as ''Annan Oru Koyil'' , ''Ellaam Ninakku Vendi">Annan_Oru_Koyil.html" ;"title="emade as ''Annan Oru Koyil">emade as ''Annan Oru Koyil'' , ''Ellaam Ninakku Vendi'' and ''Bangaru Chellelu''(Telugu)] * ''Do Anjaane'' (1976) (Remade as ''Maavari Manchitanam'' and ''Aaseya Bale'')– ''Ratrir Yatri'' * ''Kalankini Kankabati'' (1981) * ''Lalu Bhulu'' (1983) * ''Kiriti O Kalo Bhromor'' (2016) * '' Kiriti Roy (2016 film), Kiriti Roy'' (2016) * '' Ebong Kiriti'' (2017) * '' Nilacholey Kiriti'' (2018)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gupta, Nihar Ranjan 1911 births 1986 deaths Bengali-language novelists Indian dermatologists Bengali detective fiction writers Bengali Hindus 20th-century Bengalis Indian novelists Indian male novelists Writers from Kolkata University of Calcutta alumni 20th-century Indian medical doctors 20th-century Indian novelists Novelists from West Bengal Indian writers 20th-century Indian male writers People from Jessore District Krishnagar Government College alumni Indian male screenwriters 20th-century Indian screenwriters Indian male short story writers 20th-century Indian short story writers Indian male dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights Indian male essayists 20th-century Indian essayists Indian editors Indian magazine editors Indian crime fiction writers Indian mystery writers Indian thriller writers People from Lohagara Upazila, Narail