Acharya Sukumar Sen
Acharya Sukumar Sen (1900-1992) was a renowned Indian scholar, Indologist, and educationist. Born in Gotan, Purba Bardhaman district, he was educated at Burdwan Municipal High School, Burdwan Raj College, and Government Sanskrit College, Kolkata. He excelled academically, earning honors in Sanskrit and Comparative Philology.
Sen's academic career spanned over three decades at the University of Calcutta, where he became the Khaira Professor of Comparative Philology in 1954. He authored numerous books and research papers on Vedic studies, Indology, and ancient Indian history, including "Use of Cases in Vedic Prose" (1928), "Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit" (1928), and "A Comparative Grammar of Middle Indo-Aryan" (1960).
Sen also contributed significantly to Bengali literature, writing on various themes and genres. His crime stories were compiled in "Galpa Samgraha" (2009). He published several notable works, including "Bangla Sahityer Itihas" (1939, 1991), "Bhashar Itibritta" (1939, 1993), and "Diner Pore Din Je Gelo" (his autobiography).
Acharya Sukumar Sen received numerous honors and awards, including the Royal Asiatic Society of London's Jubilee Gold Medal (1984), making him the first Asian recipient. He was also elected as an honorary fellow of Sahitya Akademi in 1973 and received the Ashutosh Memorial Gold Medal and Griffith Memorial Prize twice. His legacy continues to inspire scholars and researchers in Indology and Bengali literature.
