The Flag Bearer of Bengali Renaissance

Upendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury commonly known as Upendra Kishire Roy was one of the flag bearers of Bengali renaissance. His innovations in media and literature brought about a progressive change in Bengali society. On his 98th death anniversary we remember this patron of Bengali culture.

! Upendra Kishore was born as Kamadaranjan Ray on 10 May 1863 in a village called Moshua in Kishorgonj district in Bangladesh.
! He was an expert in English and Persian languages and in the traditional Indian and British Indian legal systems.
! His adoptive father Harikishore renamed him Upendra Kishore and added the honorific 'Raychaudhuri' as a surname.
! Upendra passed BA examination in 1884 from the Calcutta Metropolitan Institution (now Vidyasagar College).

! Upendrakishore's greatest contribution was in the field of children's literature in Bengali.
! He published his first literary work in the magazine Sakha in 1883.
! His prominent works include the fantasy "Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne", children's verses in "Ţunţuni'r Boi", and the children's versions of the Hindu epics - "Chheleder Ramayon" and "Chheleder Môhabharot".
! Upendrakishore started Sandesh magazine in April 1913. It is one of the most popular chiildren's magazine in this sub continent and is being published till today.
! Sandesh was the first magazine for children in India that had coloured pictures, and it became an institution in Bengal.
! He did most of the illustrations of his books and the Sandesh magazine himself.

! Upendra Kishore Roy was a famous writer, painter, composer, violin player, technologist, publisher and entrepreneur.
! His collection of folklore literature enriched his writings and publications.
! He was the first Indian to introduce colour printing and the art of engraving in this part when it was also being introduced in the West.
! He was the father of famous writer Sukumar Ray and grandfather of the renowned filmmaker Satyajit Ray.
! Upendra Kishore Ray was a product and leading member of the Brahmo Movement which was a liberal form of faith and initiated the cultural renaissance in Bengal.

! Upendra Kishore first introduced modern blockmaking, including half-tone and colour block making, in South Asia.
! He wrote several technical articles on modern block making which were published in the Penrose Annual Volumes from Britain.
! He invented the technology of "screen-adjusting machine" for the automatic focussing of process cameras, which was also assembled in England following his design.
! Also a musician, Upendrakishore wrote two books about music in Bengali.
! This legend died on 20th December, 1915 at the age of 52.