Khudiram Das (9 October 1916 – 28 April 2002) was an Indian scholar, educationist, critic, litterateur, an authority on Rabindra literature and linguistic expert.
Early life and family
Khudiram Das was born in Beliatore situated in Bankura District, West Bengal to Satish Chandra Das and Kaminibala Devi. He studied in Middle English School in Bankura till Sixth standard and passed the Matric Examination in 1933 with Letter marks in Bengali and Sanskrit and I.A. Examination in 1935 from Bankura Zilla School, achieving 1st Division in both examinations. He graduated in Sanskrit with Honours from Bankura Christian College attaining 1st Class Third position in the year 1937. He then moved to Kolkata (then Calcutta) for higher studies. He completed his Master’s (M.A.) in Bengali from University of Calcutta attaining 1st Class 1st position with the then record marks of 72.6%. He was endowed with the Calcutta University Gold Medal and 5 endowment Gold Medals and Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee Silver Medal for standing First in Class in M.A Bengali. He was also awarded with Kavya Tirtha and Kavya Ratna for his excellence in Sanskrit. He passed B.T. examination in 1941.
Research degree
He was awarded the D.Litt. degree of Calcutta University in 1962 which was the first Doctor of Literature awarded in Bengali Literature. Rabindra Pratibhar Parichay, his first book on Tagore's poetical genius, won him this award.
He was engaged with many organizations and held important positions. He was the President of Bangiya Sanskrita Siksha Parishad, Govt. of West Bengal, Member of Calcutta University Senate Arts Faculty and Ph. D committee, Bangiya Sahitya Parishad, Paschimbanga Bangla Academy, Rabindra Sadan Committee, and Editorial Board of Rabindra Rachanabali Publication Committee (Govt. Of W.B.). After his retirement from active career, he was the Chief Editor of a project of West Bengal State Book Board on a linguistic dictionary of current Bengali words, titled "Bengali Linguistic Dictionary for both Bengalis and Non-Bengalis", from 1982 to 1994.
Choddosho Sal O Choloman Rabi (চদ্দোশো সাল ও চলমান রবি) (1993)
Desh Kal Sahitya (দেশ কাল সাহিত্য) (1995)
Santhali Bangla Samashabda Abhidhan (সাঁওতালি বাংলা সমশব্দ অভিধান) (1998)
Bachai Prabandha (বাছাই প্রবন্ধ) (A collection of 14 essays, edited by Manas Majumdar) (2000)
Pather Chhayachabite Adhyapak Khudiram Das (পথের ছায়াছবিতে অধ্যাপক ক্ষুদিরাম দাস) (edited by Manas Majumdar) (1996)
He edited the Kavikankan Chandi by Mukundaram Chakrabarty in 1976. He also edited Rabindra Prasanga Bodh, a book published by Govt. of West Bengal. He was the Chief Editor of a project of West Bengal State Book Board on a linguistic dictionary of current Bengali words, titled "Bengali Linguistic Dictionary for both Bengalis and Non-Bengalis", from 1982 to 1994. Some of his books are available in ebook format in his website the link to which is http://professorkhudiramdas.com/ebooks-by-professor-khudiram-das.
মনীষয়া দীপ্যতি (Manishoya Dipyoti) was published by Dey's Publishing in 2016 commemorating 100 Years of Birth Anniversary of Dr. Das.
He was conferred the title of Kavya Tirtha and Kavya Ratna for his expertise in Sanskrit Language and the title of Adya Madhya in Sanskrit Grammar.[citation needed] He was endowed with the Calcutta University Gold Medal and 5 endowment Gold Medals and Sir Ashutosh Silver Medal for standing First in Class in M.A Bengali.[citation needed]
Bust of Dr. Khudiram Das in Krishnagar, West Bengal
Khudiram Das Memorial Lecture is held every year in Department of Bengali Language and Literature, University of Calcutta in his memory.
A bust of him was erected beside Rabindra Bhawan, Krishnagar on 9 October 2018 in association with Krishnagar Municipality as a part of his birth centenary programme.
