Icons of Bengal: The Intellectual Brilliance of Amartya Sen, the Poetic Soul of Jibanananda Das, and the Artistic Legacy of Khan Ataur Rahman

Amartya Kumar Sen

Amartya Kumar Sen is an Indian philosopher and economist. He was born in Shantiniketan, West Bengal, India on 3 November 1933. His ancestral home was at Wari in old Dhaka. Sen began his high school education at St. Gregory School in Dhaka in 1941. His family went to India following the partition of the country in 1947. In India Sen studied at Biswa-Bharati University School and Presidency College, Kolkata where he earned a first class First BA ( Hons ) in Economics. For his outstanding contribution in Economics, he was awarded Nobel Prize in 1998. In 2012, he became the first non-US citizen recipient of the National Humanities Medal. It is said that Rabindranath Tagore had given Amartya Sen his name (Amartya meaning immortal ). Rabindranath was the first Bangalee who won the Nobel Prize. He was awarded this priz in 1913 for his outstanding contribution in literature. The third Bangalee who has earned the prestigious Nobel Prize in 2006 is Dr.Muhammad Yunus. He was born on 28 june, 1940 to a Muslim family in the village Bethua in Hathazari, Chittagong. He completed his graduation and postgraduation degree in economics from Dhaka University in 1960 and 1961 respectively. He was the founder of Grameen Bank. Besides earning Nobel Prize in peace, he was awarded a lot of national and international honours. He was awarded the US Congressional Gold Medal in 2010.

Jibananando Das

Jibananando Das was born in a small town of Barisal in 1899. He took his Master’s Degree in English at the age of 22. The next year he started his teaching career as a professor of English at the Calcutta City College. He lost the job in 1928 on the charge of publishing a poem in the Parichaya Patrika. But two years after he joined the Ramjash College, Delhi but returned to his place of birth the next year. He got an appointment in Brajamohan College, Barisal in 1953. In 1947 when the partition was made Jibananando Das left Bangladesh for India. In West Bengal he started editing the Swaraj Patrika. In 1951 he joined the Khargpur College. He was awarded Rabindra Purashkar in 1953. He met with a tram accident on the 14^th October, 1945 and was hospitalized. After a few days he passed away on October 22, 1954.

Khan Ataur Rahman

Khan Ataur Rahman (December 11, 1928- December 1, 1997 ) was a Bangladeshi filmmaker, director, producer, screenplay writer, music composer, and singer. He got renewed for his role in the film Jibon Theka Neya ( 1970 ). In this film, his rendition of the song ‘E Khancha bhangbo ami kemon kore’ echoed the national psyche of East Pakistan’s ongoing disparity and tyranny. In 1950 Khan Ataur Rahman went to Karachi and took a job as a News Presenter in Radio Pakistan. Here he met with another notable Bengali media personality Foteh Lohani. Khan Ata was very interested in film. That is why he started taking music lessons from renowned Pakistani Sarnagi ( a kind of musical instrument ) player Jawahari Khan. After some days Foteh Lohani moved to London. In 1952 Khan Ata went to London as well. There he performed as a singer and actor in several Bengali programs. He met with artist SM Sultan and helped him with his savings to by art supplies for the artist. Rahman and his companions also made arrangements for displaying and selling Sultan’s paintings. In 1953 Rahman enrolled in the Theatre department at City Literary Institute. Rahman studied in the Netherlands when he was awarded a UMESCO fellowship in 1954. Thereafter, he worked as a teacher in London but also took to the stage for several years. In 1956, he returned home and starred in a film called Jago Hua Severa directed by AJ Kader. He played many roles with notable Bengali actress Tripti Mitra. In 1963 ha made his directorial debut with the film Onek Diner Chena, and continued making many notable films like Nawab Sirajuddaula ( 1967 ), Saat Vi Champa (1968 ), Arwn Barun Kironmala (1968 ), Abar Tora Manush Ho ( 1973 ). Sujon Sokhi ( 1976 ), E khono Onek Raat ( 1997 ).