Jyotirmoy Datta

Jyotirmoy Datta Biography

Jyotirmoy Datta is a famous Bengali writer and journalist. He writes essays, short stories, novels as well as poems. He has also worked as a professor in a few colleges. Datta currently lives in Hillsborough Township, New Jersey, and serves as the Editor for South Asia Journal. He is a popular figure among Indians and New York poets. He was one among the defense witnesses for the trial of Hungryalist poet Malay Roy Choudhury, which was in great media attention in those days.

Datta was born in West Bengal in 1936. He was one among the 10 children of his family. His childhood days were spent in different places across India and he spent most of his childhood days in south India. He mostly lived in forest areas till Indian independence. He got married to Minakshi Bose, daughter of noted Bengali writer, Buddhadev Bose. His mother-in-law Protibha Bose was also a famous singer and writer. His wife is currently associated with "Tagore Society of New York". The couple had two children, of whom his daughter Kankawati Datta has authored a few books.

Datta was in open conflict with then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi in the late 1970s. It was following her imposition of Emergency period in India. In his magazine Kolkata, he wrote a story about her which brought wide criticism from the government and after that he was keenly observed. Though he tried to escape from the police, he got injured in one such attempt and was arrested. He was later sent to Presidency Jail in Kolkata, where he spent 6 months. Post Emergency period, he got released. Once returned he went on a tour to Sri Lanka from Kolkata.

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Updated: June 17, 2014