Bhashanagar magazine celebrated the 91st birth anniversary of poet and novelist Sunil Gangopadhyay at the Bangla Academy Sabhaghar, Kolkata. The evening was touched by reverence and memory, where words, music, and voices came together in homage. Among the honoured guests were Swati Gangopadhyay, Sunil’s lifelong companion; veteran novelist Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay; poet Subodh Sarkar, Chairman of Paschim Banga Kabita Academy and editor of Bhashanagar; and the distinguished writer, poet, and playwright Suresh Rituparna.

Sunil—whose pen breathed life into poetry, fiction, essays, and stories—remains an immortal voice of modern Bengali literature. From editing Krittibas to inspiring cinema through his works, he was a creator whose words will forever echo in the reader’s heart. The evening unfolded like a tapestry of song and verse: Binayak Bandyopadhyay’s words of welcome and poetry, Srovonti Bosu Bandyopadhyay’s Rabindra Sangeet, the tender reminiscences of Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay and Swati Gangopadhyay about Sunil, Bratati Bandyopadhyay’s recitation, and the evocative Hiroshima poems of Suresh Rituparna, translated by Mahua Bhattacharya. Each voice deepened the resonance of Sunil’s legacy. A moment of rare beauty came when poet Suresh Rituparna placed a portrait of Sunil into Swati Gangopadhyay’s hands—an offering of memory and love.

Under the graceful anchoring of Arunava Raha Ray, Sibasish Mukhopadhyay, and Anukta Ghoshal, the evening became wholly Sunil’s. True to its spirit, Bhashanagar once again gave stage to diverse poetic voices—from Kolkata, North Bengal, Howrah, Bankura, and beyond—where poets read their own works, recited Sunil’s lines, and shared their love for him through their verses. In a gesture of tenderness, Bhashanagar also gifted new clothes and sweets to a group of children, a simple yet profound gift in keeping with the generosity of the occasion. The magazine’s latest Book Fair Special Issue was also on display and sale for the readers.

Poet Subodh Sarkar’s reflections illuminated the man behind the myth—Sunil’s disciplined routine, his reading habits, his unwavering devotion to writing. And as the evening drew to its quiet close, Sunil’s unspoken words left an afterglow, as if echoing Subodh’s own philosophy of love:

“Amar kachhe bhalobasar anyo mane achhe.” (For me, love carries another meaning) — Sreetanwi Chakraborty (Professor & Writer)