Ajoy Home

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Ajoy Home (2 May, 1913 - 30 October, 1992), born in Calcutta( Kolkata ) on 2 May, 1913 in a Brahmo family , was an ornithologist and naturalist of India, based mainly in West Bengal. He was the author of seminal texts on birds of the region ^[1]. In a lifetime spanning pre-Independence India to the ending of the last century, he had been active in literary, cultural , environmental and intellectual circles. He was contemporary of stalwarts like Debabrata Biswas, Sagarmoy Ghose, Hemanga Biswas, Chinmohan sehanobis, Ashoke Kumar Sarkar and others. He married suparna (nicknamed "Buri") ;daughter of Dr.Binod Behari & Lilamoyee Roy and grand daughter of Brahmo Scholar Sitanath Tattabhusan ; hailing from Shillong, in the year 1947, who predeceased him on 4th February,1987.

Literary works

Ajoy Home is best known for being the author of the books on ornithology written in Bengali : Banglar Pakhi (Birds of Bengal ), Chena Achena Pakhi (Birds known and unknown) that won him a posthumous Rabindra Puroshkar awarded by the Govt. of West Bengal in 1996. As a mark of their friendship, film-maker Satyajit Ray designed the book cover of Banglar Pakhi.

Subrata Deb and Pravatranjan Roy were the first to inspire Ajoy Home in writing Banglar Pakhi.He was also encouraged by colleague Ratanlal Brahmachari , T.A.Davis , Prof.Srikrishna Goswami , Dr. Kanti Pakrashi .

Although having command over several languages, Ajoy Home wrote mainly in his mother tongue, Bengali, so that the world of birds could be enjoyed by the common populace who may not be very proficient in English or any language other than Bengali. His books brought down ornithology from being the preserve of the English-speaking elite to the Bengali speaking masses who were so far hamstrung by the scarcity of quality books on birds written in Bengali. These books were the product of his extensive self funded travels, for over four decades, in the wilderness of India, especially eastern India, including the hills & forests of undivided Assam & Bengal as well as the remote corners of the Sunderbans.

Apart from Birds, Ajoy Home was also fascinated by The Royal Bengal Tiger and wrote many articles on it. His other works include Bichitra Jeeb-jontu (A plethora of animals), the sci-fi tale Moron Ghum (The Deathly Sleep) , Marple Pishi (Aunt Marple), Bokko Munir Thane ( The abode of Sage Bokko ), Bharater Upajati, Parichay o Samasya ( Tribals of India and their problems),Index of the stories by Tagore etc .

Ajoy Home presided over the childrens book chapter of Sara Bangla Shahitya Mela ( All Bengal Literary Festival ) in 1965 and 1969 . His efforts were highly praised by Premendra Mitra in his presidential address. He was honoured by The Science Association of Bengal in 1987. The Archana Award was conferred upon him by The Bangiya Shahitya Parishad on 24th.July,1992.for scientific writing in Bengali.

Ajoy Home also contributed his writings to many magazines like Sandesh, Desh, Kishore Jnan-bijnan - a science magazine for the young, Mahanagar, Aajkaal , Jugantar , Amrita Bazar Patrika, Ananda Bazar Patrika, sci-fi magazine Ascharya and others. He wrote a popular weekly feature " Prakriti premiker chokhe ( in the eyes of a nature lover )" in Ajkal beginning when Gourkishore Ghose was its editor.

Ajoy Home was a founder-member of Prakriti Samsad, a popular Nature Study group in Bengal and was actively involved in promoting environmental awareness, wildlife conservation, birdwatcher groups ( e.g. The Zoomers ) etc ^[2]. Ajoy Home was the editor of Prakriti Gyan. a Bengali magazine on nature of which he was a founder.

Early life

The Brahmo family of Ajoy Home originally hailed from Mymansing, now in Bangladesh and later on settled in Calcutta. His father Gagan Chandra Home, a Brahmo reformer, was a teacher of City School as well as the asst. editor of Sanjibani, a magazine of that era brought out by Krishna Kumar Mitra. His mother Basantabala was an ardent lover of birds and animals.

Gagan Chandra came to Calcutta and put up at a lodge in Musalmanpara Lane patronised by a group of youths hailing originally from the districts of Srihatta and Mymansing (in present-day Bangladesh) who eventually became close friends. This group of friends expanded to include people like Bipin Chandra Pal, Sundarimohon Das, Krishna Kumar Mitra, Sarat Chandra Roy, Tarakishore Chowdhury, Umapada Roy, Ananda Chandra Mitra, Ram Kumar Bhattacharya, Upendrakishore Roychowdhury, Kalisankar Sukul and others .These Brahmo youths, under the guidance of the Brahmo preacher Shibnath Shastri, were not only concerned with religious reforms but were enthusiastically engaged in social upliftment and the freedom struggle of India. Gagan Chandra, who was initiated in to Brahmoism by Acharya Shibnath Shashtri, married Basantabala ; daughter of Kalinath Dutta , the Brahmo leader of Majilpur ( South 24- Parganas).

Ajoy Home was sixth of his seven siblings, one of whom died very early. His only sister whom he affectionately called "didimoni", was Bina (Basu) . His other brothers were Amal Chandra , Charu Chandra, Shailesh Chandra and Anil Chandra. His eldest brother, Amal Chandra Home, was the well-known editor of the Calcutta Municipal Gazette. A close associate of Rabindra Nath Tagore, Amal Chandra held several senior government positions in addition to his literary pursuits.

Ajoy Home, popularly known as "Khuchu" , received his education at Town School, Brahmo Boys School and Vidyasagar College of Calcutta. Vidyasagar College later felicitated him following the publication of Banglar Pakhi and presented him with Salim Ali's Birds of India.

Khuchu on his tenth birthday was presented with a Mynah by Hemangini Devi ( whom khuchu called granny instead of aunt ) , wife of Dr.Sundarimohon Das, which triggered a life long passion with birds.

Vocation and interests

Apart from writing, editing, and publishing, Ajoy Home took a keen interest in varied fields such as hunting ( prior to transformation as a wild life activist), cricket, wildlife photography, philately , literature, science fiction, scientific writing in bengali, film studies , bridge etc. He developed the "Home's three-stage formula" while playing bridge, a hobby which took him to tournaments all over the country. He was a founder-member of Prakriti Samsad, a popular Nature Study group in Bengal and was actively involved in promoting environmental awareness, wildlife conservation, birdwatcher groups ( e.g. The Zoomer ) etc ^[2]. Ajoy Home was the editor of Prakriti Gyan ( erstwhile Prakriti, founded by Dr. Satya Charan Laha ) a Bengali magazine on nature. He also published and edited the film magazine Chhaya Path for sometime in the nineteen fifties , which brought him in close contact with leading film personalities of the era. After persuing many a vocation, Ajoy Home was summoned by Prof. Prashanta Mahalanobis to join the library of The Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta and he retired from there in the year 1973.

Ajoy Home passed away on 30^th. October , 1992 , survived by his only issue and daughter , Sutapa.

Recent publications about Ajoy Home

1. Bangalike Pakhi Chiniyechen Jini : Shatoborshey Ajoy Home(Who taught Bengalis Bird Watching : Ajoy Home in centenary year )- By Staff Reporter,Pratyahik Khobor(Daily News ),12th.June, 2012 Edition.

2. Kamon Chhilen Prokritipremi Ajoy Home (How Was Naturalist Ajoy Home like )- By Dipak Kumar Dawn , Kalantar , 18th.June , 2012 Edition.

3. Shotoborshey Pokkhi Premi ,( Bird lover in centenary year )- By Ashok Sengupta,Ananda Bazar Patrika , 11th.August, 2012 Edition.

4. Kamon Chhilen Prokritipremi Ajoy Home ,(How Was Naturalist Ajoy Home Like)- By Dipak Kumar Dawn , Ekhon Aranyak , July - August Issue, 2012.

5. Radio interview of Smt.Sutapa Roychowdhury on Ajoy Home: Akashbani (Kolkata- 'A'program ANWESHA), Host: Manas Pratim Das.

Broadcast on 13th.September, 2012.

6. Pokkhibid Ajoy Home : Janmoshotoborsho , ( Ornithologist Ajoy Home : Birth Centenary Year ) - BY Goutam Neogy, Sharadiya Kalantar 2012.

7. Shotoborsheyr Aloy Ajoy Home , ( Ajoy Home , focus in centenary year) - BY Arup Chowdhury , Banyapran , 4TH.issue , 2013.

8. Radio talk at 8 a.m on Ajoy HOME & Dr. Satyacharan Laha by Dipak Kumar Dawn on 13th. and14thFebruary 2013 respectively in JANA-AJANA program of A.I.R, Kolkata.

9.Pokkhibisharad Ajoy Home O Kichu Ajana Katha, (Ornithologist Ajoy Home : a few unknown facts )-BY Sutapa Roy Chowdhury. Bi- monthly Annyadin , 5th. Year, 5th. issue < 16 - 28 February 2013 >.

10.Jonmoshotoborshey Ajoy Home ( Ajoy Home in centenary year ) - By Sumitra Chowdhury, Gyan O Bigyan, Vol.66,No.5 < 10th.May 2013 >.

11.Ajoy Home : Ekshatak ( Ajoy Home: Centurion )- "Ayana" feature of Ajkal, 29th.April, 2013.

12.Ornithologist Extraordinary : " Note Book " feature of The Statesman,Monday,6th. May , 2013.

13.Janmo Shatoborshey Sradhay Smaran : AJAY HOME (1913- 2013 )(Birth centenary homage: Ajoy Home,1913-2013)

- By Dr.Goutam Neogy, Brahmo Sammilan Barta , VOL-3,Issue2 < 1st. May,2013 >

14. Ajoy Home centenary in the press:

15. Pokkhipremik ( The lover of Birds ): " Kolkatar Karcha " feature of Anandabazar Patrika,Monday,24th. june,2013.

16.BANGLAR PAKHI,BANGLAI PAKHI,Janmashotoborshey Srodhargho(Birds of Bengal, Birds in Bengali,A tribute in the centenary year ) - By Hirak Nandy(Potrait by Debebrata Ghosh).Bi- monthly Jara Parijaee, Vol.13,Issue-5,Oct- Nov 2013,sharad sankhya.

17.Amar Baba Ajoy Home ( My Father Ajoy Home )- By Sutapa Roy Chowdhury,SANDESH ,Centenary Autumn Issue (August- September,2013)

18.Smriti satoto sukher(Happy reminiscences)- By Sutapa Roy Chowdhury, Monthly Gyan O Bigyan (Knowledge and Science),Vol.67, Issue- 1,10th.January 2014.Founder- Acharya Satyen Bose.

19.Banglar Pakhi(Birds of Bengal) By Ajoy Home,Birth Centenary Edition,<Jan2015> Publisher-Dey's Publishing,ISBN:978-81-295-2325-9

20.Birdman of Bengal,in Amader Pakhi ( Our Birds) By Tapas Das & Ujjal Ghosh, 1st. Edition, <Jan 2015>, pages:10,11,478&490. Published by Prodosh Ranjan Saha. for Rongroute Holidayer

21. Bangla Boier Notun Dana( New wings for Bengali Books).Review of Banglar Pakhi in "GRANTHALOKE (Book World)"feature of literary fortnightly,DESH by its EditorHarsha Dutta ;82nd.year. 11th.issue, dated 2nd.April,20015.Page-71,Publisher- ABP(P)Ltd.

22.Hadichacha(Tree Crow ),with incidents from Ajoy Home's 'Aviarby ApurbaChatterji.BengaldailyBartaman,Sunday,26th.April,2015;Page- 12.

23.Banglar Pakhi by Ajoy Home : "Char dasak periyeo Superhit"( Superhit even after four decades ) : Book Review of Banglar Pakhi i 'Pustak Parichoy'( Book review ) feature of Ananda Bazar Patrika , Kolkata BY Judhajit Dasgupta, Saturday, 21st. November 2015, 94th. year, 255th. issue, pg. 4.

24." Tapas and Ujjal followed in the footsteps of the celebrated Ajoy Home " Gopalan Balgopal reviewing Amader Pakhi in Sanctuary Asia http://www.sanctuaryasia.com/conservation/reviews/book-reviews/10121-amader-pakhi.html

25.Pakhi niye boi-pottor ( Books on Birds) By Bijon Gupta; 1778 GRANTHACHARCHA dt.21.05.2014 ist.Year, Vol.1 ,Pg.125,127,138,139&140

Publisher- Charbak, ISSN 2349-6843.

26.Bibliography of South Asian Ornithologists-AASHEES PITTIE:4842801,4843829

http://www.southasiaornith.in/records/search/page:9?type=&field%5B0%5D=2&term%5B0%5D=WEST+BENGAL

27. Sanskar ( Prejudice ) by Ajoy Home. Sandesh100 Stories 100,pg.392-394 ( A selecttion of Hunddred Stories from Hundred Years of Sandesh), Publsher- Sishu Sahitya Samsad, Kolkata,,Editted by Ashoke Kumar Mitra , Prasadranjan Roy.ISBN;978-81-7955-283-4

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:

> Birth Centenary of Ajoy Home celebrated on 2nd. MAY, 2013, 4-30 P.M. on wards, by THE BONGIYO BIJNAN PORISHOD , at the porishod hall, in collaboration with The Ajoy Home Centenary Committee.A POTRAIT OF AJOY HOME WAS INAGURATED ON THE OCCASION.

SPEAKERS : Judhajit Dasgupta, Subrata Chakraborty, Dr. Parul Chakraborty, Pranab Ranjan Roy, Sutapa Roy Chowdhury , Sumitra Chowdhury,Jiban Sardar, Hiranmoy Maity, Dipak Kumar Dawn and others.

Chief Guest : Dr. Parul Chakraborty, Prof.Emeritus, Bose Institute & Trustee, Acharya Bhavan.

Venue : P-23 Raja Rajkrishna Street, Kolkata( near old Biswaroopa Theatre ).

The function was well attended with overflowing auditorium.

> A well attended Programme celebrating the Birth Centenary of Ajoy Home was held on 15th. June,2013, 6-30 p.m on wards,ORGANISED by the Brahmo Sammilan Samaj and The Ajoy Home Centenary Committee at the Samaj Hall, 1A Dr.Rajendra Road, Kolkata- 700020. The event was presided over by Sri Prasad Ranjan Roy.

SPEAKERS: Dr. Goutam Neogy,Prasad Ranjan Roy, Pranab Ranjan Roy,Dr.Pronobesh Sanyal,Dr.Kumar Chatterjee,Dipak Kumar Dawn,Sugato Bose & Kushal Mukherjee.

Special Guests : Dr.Pronobesh Sanyal & Dr.Kumar Chatterjee.

> BANGLAR PAKHI : Ajoy Home Birth Centenary edition of "Banglar Pakhi (Vol-1)" published in January 2015 by Dey's Publishing thanks to the efforts of Pranab Ranjan Roy and Prosad Ranjan Roy amongst others.The new bird photographs for the book were largely provided by members of the Prakriti Samsad & selected / edited by Kushal Mukherjee.

ISBN:978-81-295-2325-9

>CHENA ACHENA PAKHI(Sequel to Banglar pakhi ):Manuscript after correction(1st. proof) with the publisher.

> Request For Contribution of photographs: contribution of photographs of Non-Paserine species OF BIRDS for the forthcoming centenary edition of CHENA ACHENA PAKHI are invited from interested persons. Photos should be in JPG format having Name of both the photographer & bird in the caption.

Photographs to be sent to Indranee @ gmail . com.

Photographs selected for publication will be duly acknowledged in the Book.

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