Dasgupta & Company: India’s Oldest Bookshop

Dasgupta and company

Way back in the late 19th century, while coming on a steamer from Khulna (now in Bangladesh), Girish Chandra Dasgupta, who hailed from the Kalia village in Jessore had shared his dream with his bosom pal, Dr Mahesh Chandra Bhattacharya. ‘College Street is home to Calcutta Medical College, Calcutta University, Presidency College…I have a keen desire to start a bookshop here.’

Dr Mahesh Bhattacharya, who later became the renowned homeopath, said, ‘Go ahead, I will start my practice in the city.’

In 1886, Girish Chandra Dasgupta started Dasgupta & Company with only 34 books in his collection in this very shop situated in what is known famously as College Square – the haven of books.

That humble start became an institution as his son Kshitish Chandra and later Amulya Chandra turned the bookstore into a massive collection frequented by top scholars, educationists, authors, intellectuals and of course, students. The popular belief was that if an Indian or international publication is not available in this bookstore, then it is unlikely to be available anywhere else in India! From the National Library to the top university and college libraries are Dagupta’s customers apart from regular book lovers.

In the picture: the genial, helpful Arabinda Dasgupta, son of Amulya Chandra, at the counter of this 137-year-old 3-storey bookstore which stores some 70,000 odd books!

(Info courtesy: Dasgupta & Co. Private Ltd. College Street, College Square (Phone: 033-22414609 ), Kolkata.
(Pic courtesy: Blue Pencil team)

Blue Pencil’s publications available at Dasgupta and Company include

* Murmurs: Silent Steals with Soumitra Chatterjee
* Incomparable Sachin Dev Burman
* The Unforgettable Music of Hemant Kumar
* Majrooh Sultanpuri: The Poet For All Reasons
* Reflections & Stray Thoughts

Have you got your copy yet? 😊🙏

Shoreless Infinite – An Autobiography

Shoreless Infinite
Ms. Subhashini Kamesh (DIL), Sriraghav Shankar (Son), Dr K.R Venugopal, Ex Vice Chancellor, Bangalore University, M.B.Jayaram, Chairman Emeritus, Public Relations Council of India, Dr Mahantesh G.K., Founder-Managing Director, Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, Geetha Shankar, Ramendra Kumar and Dr Rajdeep Manwani emcee

Shoreless Infinite, authored by Ms Geetha Shankar, a Communication and L&D professional, was released on December 28, 2022 in Bengaluru, in the presence of distinguished guests like Dr Mahantesh G. Kivadasannavar, Founder Trustee, Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, Mr M. B. Jayaram, Chairman Emeritus Public Relations Council of India, Dr K.R. Venugopal Former Vice Chancellor of Bangalore University, Mr Ramendra Kumar Award-winning writer and storyteller, Sriraghav Shankar, Founder, Sports Movement, Austin, U.S.A, Ms Subhashini Kamesh, Americas System Quality Manager Apple and Dr Rajdeep Manwani, Ted Ex Speaker.

In her autobiography Shoreless Infinite, Geetha Shankar talks about the four dimensions of an individual and how she journeys taking care of self and inculcating it to the family. The book amplifies the importance of parenting, professional triumphs, balance, life with meaningful relationships and the spiritual discovery leading to bliss. The author cautions not to forget the importance of balance when life becomes busy. She asks us to connect with the Universe and develop a let-go attitude which can usher the Universe to bring infinite abundance to all and evolved consciousness.

Published by : Print and Read – an Imprint of Blue Pencil
Genre : Non-fiction (Autobiography)
Binding : Paperback (5″ x 8″)
Pages : 97 pages
Published : 2022
ISBN: 978-81-956660-2-7

The Canine Chronicles | Excerpt in Telekids

TELEKIDS, The Telegraph’s supplement carried an awesome excerpt of THE CANINE CHRONICLES, written by Ramendra Kumar.🤩  Telekids created some fabulous artwork for the excerpt.

The Canine Chronicles: Love and Laughter in the Times of Corona is the tale of a six-year-old Labrador set in Covid times, told in first person.

Pick up your copy on Blue Pencil or Flipkart or Amazon:
India | USA | UK | Canada | Australia | France | Germany | Spain | Italy | Japan

 

The Canine Chronicles Telekids excerpt 1

The Canine Chronicles Telekids excerpt 1

Murmurs: An Abstract Tapestry That Succeeds in Keeping the Reader Hooked

Noted scholar, film-critic and film-maker Subha Das Mollick previews Amitava Nag’s Murmurs: Silent Steals with Soumitra Chatterjee and finds the book impressionistic which is a must read not only for the admirers of the thespian, but also for admirers of experimental literary work.

MURMURS Soumitra Chatterjee
MURMURS Silent Steals with Soumitra Chatterjee

It is not an easy task to hook the reader with stream of consciousness words, phrases, sentences through 90 pages and 19 chapters. Amitava Nag’s book Murmurs: Moments with Soumitra Chatterjee succeeds in keeping his reader hooked as he weaves an abstract tapestry with fragments of memory around the author’s numerous engagements with Soumitra Chatterjee.

He succeeds in capturing unspoken thoughts, suppressed sighs, internalized monologues of the ageing actor, thespian, poet and painter as he sits in his ‘garage turned into a study – low roof and basic’. Shifting lights and changing season outside blend with the swirling coffee in slow motion as unspoken words hang heavy in the still air inside the room.  As Soumitra copes with his failing health and aching body, he articulates his unfulfilled aspiration, ‘But Amitava, I still would have loved to be a Sir Garfield Sobers’.

Amitava Nag’s impressionistic recounts in Murmurs are intimate and bereft of eulogy. He is neither overwhelmed, nor judgmental. His observant eye catches every fleeting shadow on the actor’s countenance and reads into every turn of his head and torso. Through the nineteen chapters, each of which is a well crafted work of art, Soumitra Chatterjee’s soul is revealed to the readers. A must read not only for the admirers of the thespian, but also for admirers of experimental literary work.

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Subha Das Mollick
Subha Das Mollick

Subha Das Mollick is a media teacher and a documentary filmmaker. She has made more than 50 documentary films on a variety of subjects, most of which have been aired on the national television. She had been the head of the Film Studies and Mass Communication Deptt. at the St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata.

MURMURS SILENT STEALS WITH SOUMITRA CHATTERJEE

Click here to read the preview collection of interactions that is set to release as the book Murmurs: Moments with Soumitra Chatterjee by Amitava Nag, on 19th January 2021 to celebrate the legend’s 87th birthday.

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