Kolkata came to a standstill when prolific writer and former Sheriff of Calcutta, Mani Sankar Mukherjee or Sankar breathed his last. Popularly known for his literary contributions to the cultural fabric of the city, the author, who was 92, breathed his last in Kolkata today. However, Shankar will always live on in the pages of the books and the way he reflected the post-colonial Calcutta for the youth.
Those who have read Bengali literature, or its translations about post-colonial Bengal, are familiar with the works of Mani Shankar Mukhopadhyay or Sankar. But the beloved author did not always start out as a writer. After the death of his father when he was just a teenager, he joined as a clerk in the office of the last British Barrister of the Calcutta High Court, Noel Frederick Barwell, simultaneously pursuing his studies from the now Surendranath College.
After the death of Mr Barwell, he wanted to pay a tribute to his mentor and ended up penning down Kato Ajanare. This was followed by, probably, his most well-known novel, Chowringhee. Later adapted into a Bengali film starring Uttam Kumar and Subhendu Chatterjee, Chowringhee revolves around the life of a Calcutta hotel in the 60s.
His other well-known works include Seemabaddha, Jana Aranya and Gharer Modhey Ghar, the former two being adapted by Satyajit Ray for the celluloid as part of his Calcutta Trilogy.
Most of his books leave a reflection of post-colonial Bengal and how the society, especially the youth were affected by it. From the lack of employment opportunities for the youth to the unusual world of a famous hotel, wherein exist all kinds of characters one would find resemblance with today, Sankar predicted the future through his pen.
Apart from Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak and Basu Chatterjee adapted his books to critically acclaimed films as well. His autobiographical work Eka Eka Ekashi also earned him the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2021.
Besides being a popular Bengali author, he had also served the Kolkata corporate scene for a long time before retiring and taking on the post of the former Sheriff of Calcutta. Sankar passed away peacefully, due to old age and left behind his vast literary works. The neon lights of knowledge and literary penmanship that he held on to so firmly, making them a mirror of the society, finally dimmed in Calcutta today.
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