Bhumendra Guha

Bhumendra Guha, an eminent poet, literary critic and Jibanananda exponent bade adieu to the living world at 5am in the morning of December 20. The noted scholar who is revered particularly for his woks on Jibanananda was admitted to the Kolkata Medical Hospital on December 14 for elderly ailments. He was kept on life support until December 18 with serious conditions. His funeral rites were held on the crematory grounds of Nimtala in Kolkata, India at noon on December 20. Bhumendra Guha took birth on August 2 in 1933 in Bilashpur of Madhya Pradesh, India. As his profession he chose to be a cardiac surgeon and was among those who took part in the first open heart surgery of India. As epitomes of his potentiality in writing he penned more than one and a hundred research-articles on cardiac disorders and his own journey through medical fields. Apart from his profession he became most familiar for his research on Jibanananda Das. He prepared the manuscripts of a number of Jibanananda's posthumous works. They include poetry collections-- "Kobitar Kotha", "Ruposhi Bangla", "Bela Obela" and the novel "Malloban." He also retrieved almost all the novels by Jibanananda that is available today and more than one and half a thousand poems by the poet of alienation. He continued to procure and preserve Jibanananda works from constant obliteration till the last days of his life. Abul Hasnat, the editor-in-chief of "Kali O Kalam" undertook a project from 2001 to 2014 to collect the interpretations and accurate versions of almost 250 poems by Jibanananda. The collection was taken to Kolkata to get Bhumendra Guha's justification and is scheduled to be published in this very week by Bengal Foundation. But, alas! The great scholar could not live long enough to see the master work published. As a litterateur by himself Bhumendra owns possession over ten poetry collections. The collection of his best poems, "Shreshtha Kabita," was published in 2005 in the "Amar Ekushey Boimela," the prominent annual book fair of Bangladesh. He wrote in two phases firstly between 1955 and 1958 and secondly between 1990 and 2004. The unexpected demise of Bhumendra Guha has dealt a heavy blow to Bangla language and literature. We express our deepest remorse for this renowned poet and wish most solemnly that his soul remain in everlasting peace. At the same time we express gratitude to this gentle spirit from the depths of our hearts for his devotion and contribution to the arts of creativity. The writer is the Director of Jibanananda Academy and the Director General of Bangladesh National Museum.