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Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray : A collection of writings
We are happy to announce the publication of Volume-I (in two parts, one containing
writings in Bengali and the other in English) by Acharya Prafulla Chandra College,
New Barrackpore. The volume was launched in the Chemistry Lecture Theatre of
Presidency College on 30th August, 2008.
Edited by Prof. Anil Bhattacharya, the two-part volume brings together many articles
and books, now almost inaccessible, by the Acharya board on science and commerce
or commercial activities. This is indeed the first attempt of its kind to bring to
light and make available to readers of today the valuable wrtings of the great son of
India which are now lodged in the brittle pages of books and journals gathering dust
in obscure corners of libraries. We propose to publish four volumes in all; the next
volumes would contain his writings on literature, education and liberal arts and diverse
other subjects that engaged his curiosity.
Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy has a very significant place in the panorama of Bengali
culture. An exact contemporary of Tagore and Vivekananda, his life's mission was to teach
us to stand on our own legs. Certainly an arduous task at a time when for the vast majority
of Bengali youth clerkhood represented the acme of achievement in life. Distressed and
agitated, the Acharya pointed to many independent avenues of enterprise which he expounded
in one writing after another. At time it was pisiculture, at other times it was cattle
farming; he even wrote a lengthy essay on the career prospect offered by the profession
of shoe-making and repair.
There is an interesting Bengali book penned by the Acharya called Desi Rang
(Our Indigenous Dyes), which deals meticulously with the local methods of producing
pigments. Not satisfied with exposition, he appended small pieces of handloom cloth dyed
in different pigments as specimen at the end of a special edition of the book. The Acharya
was at that time an internationally acclaimed chemist; his monumental History of Hindu
Chemistry had given him the prestige and position of an unquestionable pioneer in this
area of research. But he was not content with the unruffled life of a scientist; he yearned
to bring the benefits of science to remote corners and especially to poor localities of the
country, to the very homes of the uneducated indigent people. He asked every one to wield
the spade and make a garden of roses and jesmine with ones own hand. That would unite sense
of beauty with the enterprise of business. Indeed, on many occasions he proudly proclaimed
himself a businessman.
Though he shunned all excesses in his life-style which was austere and even monkish, he gave
away money freely to improve facilities for research at the Calcutta University; he would
also provide financial help to poor but eager research students. As Professor at the Presidency
College and the University of Calcutta, his fame as a teacher of science reached proverbial level.
But his devotion to science was no exclusive affair; he had an intense appreciation and love for
literature and arts as well. In fact, his initiation to literature was at a very early age when
he started reading literary books of his father's library. Indeed, his proficiency in Bengali
and English literature, his avid interest in historical studies which were well known among his
contemporaries; even today the handful of readers who are familiar with his writings know it.
He could recite long passages from Shakespeare, Tagore and Michael Madhusudan Dutta. He was
also a good linguist who knew, beside Bengali and English, French, German, Latin, Greek and
Sanskrit.
Thus to anyone who cares for culture, this collection of writings would be a prize possession.
We are proud to have been able to publish them, and we invite you to book your copy of this and
forthcoming volumes both for institutional library and your personal collection. The details of
the books now published are given below.
BQ¡kÑ fËg¥õ Q¾cÊ l¡u lQe¡ pwLme
fËbj Mä : ¢h‘¡e, ¢h‘¡e ¢nr¡ J h¡¢ZSÉ ¢houL lQe¡
pÇf¡cL : AdÉ¡fL A¢em i–¡Q¡kÑ
fËL¡nL : AdÉ¡fL n¢š²hËa i±¢jL
AdÉr, BQ¡kÑ fËg¥õ Q¾cÊ LmS, ¢eE hÉ¡l¡Lf¤l, L¢mL¡a¡-700131
fªù¡ pwMÉ¡ : 902
Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray A Collection of Wrings
Volume IA : On Science and Industry
Editor : Prof. Anil Bhattacharya
Publisher : Prof. Saktibrate Bhowmik, Principal
Acharya Prafulla Chandra College,
New Barrackpore, Kolkata-700131
Number of pages : 540
Price : Rs.700.00 per set
Institutional price : Rs.600.00
The books are available at A.P.C. College, New Barrackpore, North 24 Parganas, Kolkata-700131 or
at the office of the West Bengal College and University Teachers Association, 89, Mahatma Gandhi
Road, Kolkata-700007.
They are also available at the following book shops :
- Ekush Satak, 15, Shyamacharan De Street, Kolkata-700073, Ph..No. (033)23546488
- Progressive Publishers, 37A, College Street, Kolkata-700073, Ph.No. (033)22191595/6593
- National Book Agency Pvt. Ltd., 12, Bankim Chatterjee Street, Kolkata-70073, Ph.No. (033)22416432/3376, 23344530/3168, FAX : (033)23342769
Orders for the books may also be placed to:
A.P.C. College, New Barrackpore, North 24 Parganas.
Cheques/Drafts should be drawn in favour of Principal, A.P.C. College, New Barrackpore
For contact please write to us by e-mail : apc1960@dataone.inor call us at(033)25378797/3297
College Website : www.apccollege.ac.in
Selected Opinions about the book
1. ""BQ¡kÑ fËg¥õQ¾cÊ l¡ul e¡j¡¢ˆa LmS (BQ¡kÑ fËg¥õQ¾cÊ LmS) AdÉ¡fL A¢em i–¡Q¡kÑl pÇf¡ce¡u BQ¡kÑl pjÙ¹ mM¡l f§ZÑ¡‰ pwLmel fËbj Mä¢V c¤¢V i¡N fËL¡n LlRz HC c¤¢V i¡N luR BQ¡kÑl ¢h‘¡e J h¡¢ZSÉ pwœ²¡¿¹ hý c¤×fË¡fÉ lQe¡z............ öd¤ SeÈhRl eu, lh£¾cÊe¡bl p‰ a¡yl iall ¢jm ¢Rm HCM¡e k, c¤SeC a¡ycl i¡he¡L Br¢lL AbÑC q¡a-Lmj BL¡l e¡ ¢cu ü¢Ù¹ fae e¡ zlh£¾cÊe¡bL Bjl¡ g¥ml j¡m¡, d§fl d¡yu¡u ØjlZ Lla fË¢a °hn¡Ml 25nl i¡l h¢lu f¢s , fËg¥õQ¾cÊl SeÈ¢ce Lh jeJ l¡¢M e¡z i¥m b¡L¡l HC ¢e¢ÕQ¿¹ QQÑ¡u Hje HL¢V fËL¡ne¡ q¡a fu ¢hqÄm qa quz n¡ie R¡f¡-h¡yd¡C , p¤¤nª´Mm pÇf¡ce¡ hCc¤¢Vl ¢houl pÇj¡e lr¡ LlRz" - p¤¤je …Z, BSL¡m, 13 pÃVðl, 2008
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