Rajshekhar Basu

Born: 16 March 1880

Died: 27 April 1960

He, better known by the pen name Parashuram was a Bengali writer, chemist, and lexicographer.
He was chiefly known for his comic and satirical short stories and is considered the greatest Bengali humorist of the twentieth century.
He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1956.
He was a man of diverse achievements.
He was an active member of the National Council of Education, founded in 1903.
He served on the Bangiya Sahitya Parishad.
He even provided covert assistance to the revolutionaries of the Indian Independence Movement in the form of money and chemicals, and also provided his expertise in making bombs.
He also played a major role in the history of printing in Bengal.
He was the principal assistant to Sureshchandra Majumdar, credited with creating the first linotype in the Bengali script.
The second edition of Parashuram’s Hanumaaner Svapna Ityadi Galpa was the first book to be completely printed in Bengali linotype.
He received a good deal of recognition for his writing.
Calcutta University awarded him the Jagattarini and Sarojini medals in 1940 and 1945 respectively.
In 1957, the University awarded him D.Litt. Jadavpur University followed suit the next year.
Krishnakali ityadi golpo won the Rabindra Puraskar in 1955, and in 1956.
In 1958, he was awarded the Akademi Puraskar for Anandibai Ityadi Galpa.