MY LIFE MY WAY

BY A STAFF REPORTER: Noted author Taslima Nasrin who launched the book in New Delhi recently said:

“Biplab Ghosh's My Life My Way is not just another autobiography, rather it is an honest and vivid description of how the author for decades was drowned in a life of sorrow and misery after losing his dear children. Even today after many years, he has not been able to come to terms with the untimely deaths, be it his 19-year-old dear son Sunny to the cruel waves of the sea in a freak accident, or that of his dear daughter to a deadly disease or even of his wife to cancer. Despite the loss and the dark pit of depression that was sucking him down, he stood up, thanks to a woman in his life, whose love has taken him from darkness to light, from the jaws of death to the colours of life. He has lived on and keeps creating. If you really wish to know how deep sorrow can be, and how to get out of that pit and live life again, you need to read this inspirational real-life story 'My Life My Way.”

True story of a poet who lost his children to death, grieved, yet lived life Kingsize

 Do you need a Self-help book now and then to get over your void, your fears and anxiety? What about getting to know of the same from the real life of a man who took up all the courage left in him to pen down My Life My Way, decades after losing the dearest ones in life? This book is not just incredible in inspiring those who have lost and are living in deep void or emotional stress, but also tells you, a time comes when you need to accept and move on, keeping the memories alive, just like Biplab Ghosh does in this book bringing parallels with world’s famous persons, who themselves are an inspiration, their courage, their grit and above all their wish to live against all challenges and odds.

In the opening the author writes: “This book is dedicated to SUNNY, my dear son, who I lost to the waves of Bakkhali as he drowned in front of my eyes. You still stand on the beach at Bakkhali and will remain there forever, till eternity. As long as the vast expanse stretches beyond the horizon, with the Jhau forest lining the coast, for as long as the eyes can discern, you will be there. I won’t be there. Yet, it took me 21 years to come back to the place where I lost you. Even though I am your father, I pay my obeisance to you through this book. You are my only deity, my only God.”

From childhood to his seventy years of happening life, Biplab Ghosh came across different women and men, who have found their place as different characters in the book. This makes the story telling of the book extremely intense and thus helps the reader to connect at the deepest level with the author, who speaks his heart out. The book is not just about loss but about love too. Love of different women in different phases of the poet’s life and how they inspired him as well. For love can win over any challenge and a life filled with warmth and love can be lived Kingsize.

The book was launched on 4^th November at Muktadhara Banga Sanskriti Bhavan in New Delhi, by none other than world renowned author and activist Taslima Nasrin.

At today’s launch we had notable speakers who spoke on the relevance of the book ‘My Life My Way’ on a broader perspective and not just as an autobiography. It is an inspirational real-life story of Biplab Ghosh that can boost up the morale of hundreds of youngsters in India who often turn suicidal in a Post Pandemic era where we find lakhs getting into mental health issue.

As Julie Banerjee Mehta, well-known academician, professor and stalwart in Canadian studies pointed out: “How she could not sleep after reading the stories of grief, yet she found the streak of new beginning in it, the celebration of life.” While noted filmmaker Mujibar Rahman told the audience how the wish of Ghosh to live on despite the immense loss in his life, can actually inspire any film maker to turn this book into a movie that will give a second chance to life. Buddhadeb Mukhopadhyay, noted author and ex-Deputy Commissioner of Kolkata Police who writes under the pen name of Gautam Bharadwaj highlighted how the loss of children can be the greatest loss in someone’s life. Yet life goes on in the bigger cosmic plan. He also brought in the concept of Big Bang Theory. Noted Bengali author Kinnar Roy mentioned Rabindranath Tagore and how grief had been monumental in his life too. He and others brought in stories of love, loss and longing in the lives of authors like Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay, Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay and others and how they expressed their grief in a similar way as Biplab Ghosh has done in his book.

Other guests of honour this evening were Chinmay Guha, noted academician and Sahitya Akademi Award winner, Pathik Guha, well known science journalist and author, Gautam De, Ex Regional Director ICCR, Kolkata, Supriya Ray, Educationist & celebrated Ex Teacher of Modern High School and ad man, film critic and media personality Monojit Lahiri.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Biplab Ghosh is a poet and author par excellence with several published works in his mother tongue Bengali, some of the books turning into best sellers. This is his first English venture and Biplab Ghosh is a poet and author par excellence with several published works in his mother tongue Bengali, some of the books turning into best sellers. This is his first English venture and is written in the autobiographical mode about the incredible life and relationships he went through and the immense pain he endured after losing his son and daughter infront of his eyes. Yet he lived on, he turned the challenges into poetry and inspired many. Born on February 23, 1953, in Kolkata, his life started as the Managing Director of a pharmaceutical company. He has 15 published books of poetry and novels in his mother tongue Bangla to his credit, many of which are best sellers. He is recipient of the prestigious Utsav Honour 2004 (USA) as well as Janmadin and Sudhindranath Dutta Memorial Awards. He was conferred the ‘Best Civilian Award’ by the Journalists’ Association of Bengal. He has made two short films based on his writings. In 2001, his 19-year-old son, Sunny, drowned in the Bay of Bengal at Bakkhali. He started a kindergarten school in his memory. In 2020, he lost his elder daughter to a rare genetic disease. Yet, he keeps himself immersed in his creative world. He is also a well-known lyricist and music director. He writes regularly for many journals and magazines abroad. He is a passionate globetrotter and loves to explore nature in her pristine form. Whenever he gets an opportunity, he packs his bag and travels far and wide. At present, he lives with his wife and only daughter in Keshtopur, East Kolkata.