Peary Chand Mitra
1814–1882
Peary Chand Mitra (1814-1882), known to readers by his pen name Tekchand Thakur, was a pioneering Bengali writer and social reformer whose influence helped shape the literary culture of nineteenth-century Bengal. An alumnus of the progressive Hindu College, Mitra was closely associated with the Young Bengal movement, a group renowned for its radical ideas and advocacy for social change. Immersed in the intellectual ferment of colonial Calcutta, he became one of the earliest champions of writing prose in the colloquial Bengali language, making literature accessible to a broader audience.
In 1854, Mitra co-founded 'Masik Patrika' (Monthly Magazine), a publication dedicated to modernizing Bengali prose and stimulating public discourse. His most celebrated work, 'Alaler Gharer Dulal' (The Spoilt Child, 1858), is widely regarded as the first Bengali novel. Through sharp wit and vivid characterization, Mitra crafted a biting social satire about the moral decline within a wealthy urban family. His work not only marked the birth of the modern Bengali novel but also pioneered the use of everyday language in fiction, laying the groundwork for future generations of Bengali writers and intellectuals.
