Selected Essays

Kazi Nazrul Islam (1899-1976) is widely remembered as the fiery iconoclast who fought against the structures of oppression and orthodoxy. The iconic ‘rebel poet’ of Bengal, Nazrul continues to be loved for his songs and poetry. But what of his prose, his journalism, and his politics?
Selected Essays reveals to us the extraordinary versatility of Nazrul as an essayist. Addressing subjects as diverse as social reform, politics, communal harmony, environmental concerns, education, aesthetics, ethics, and philosophy, this rich collection showcases Nazrul’s dynamic vision and unique use of language as an instrument of change. The essays chart his evolving consciousness as a thinker, writer and activist, offering vivid glimpses of the ethos of his times, his relationships with leading figures such as Tagore and Gandhi, and his active engagement with social, political and cultural processes. These new translations bring Nazrul’s powerful voice to life, all its vibrant immediacy.

Imprint: India Penguin Classics

Published: Jan/2024

ISBN: 9780143464358

Length : 224 Pages

MRP : ₹499.00

Selected Essays

Kazi Nazrul Islam

Radha Chakravarty

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Kazi Nazrul Islam

Kazi Nazrul Islam (1899–1976), the national poet of Bangladesh,
was a prolific Bengali poet, revolutionary, essayist, journalist, editor,
activist and composer of songs. Born into a humble family, he began
his career as a member of a band of itinerant folk performers, then
joined the army, and eventually rose to fame as the iconic ‘rebel poet’
who opposed colonial rule in India, promoted communal harmony
and was an outspoken critic of all forms of religious, political and
social discrimination. An extraordinarily versatile writer, he expressed
his talent in multiple genres, including poetry, fiction, prose, drama,
music and journalism. His writings reveal his broad humanism and
prophetic vision. He was one of the architects of modern Bengali
literature after Tagore.

Radha Chakravarty

Radha Chakravarty is a writer, critic and translator. She is Professor of Comparative Literature & Translation Studies at Ambedkar University, Delhi. She has co-edited The Essential Tagore (Harvard and Visva-Bharati), nominated Book of the Year 2011 by Martha Nussbaum for The New Statesman. She is the author of Feminism and Contemporary Women Writers (2008) and Novelist Tagore (Routledge, 2013). She has also translated several of Tagore's works, including Gora, Boyhood Days, Chokher Bali, Farewell Song: Shesher Kabita and The Land of Cards: Stories, Poems and Plays for Children. Other works in translation include Bankimchandra Chatterjee's Kapalkundala, In the Name of the Mother by Mahasweta Devi, and Crossings: Stories from Bangladesh and India. She has edited Bodymaps: Stories by South Asian Women and co-edited Tagore the Eternal Seeker: Footprints of a World Traveller, Writing Feminism: South Asian Voices and Writing Freedom: South Asian Voices. Shades of Difference: Selected Writings of Rabindranath Tagore is an edited volume forthcoming from the Social Science Press. Her essays and review articles have appeared in books and periodicals worldwide.

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