Priyanath Mukhopadhyay | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1855-06-04)4 June 1855 |
| Died | 20 June 1947(1947-06-20) (aged 92) |
| Occupation | Author policeinspector |
| Language | Bengali |
| Citizenship | India |
| Notable works | Darogar Daptar |
Priyanath Mukhopadhyay (4 June 1855 – 20 June 1947)[1][2] was aBengali writer and police detective in Calcutta during the British era.[3] He is considered a pioneer in the field of mystery and detective fiction inBengali literature.[4]
Mukhopadhyay was born inChuadanga, undividedNadia inBritish India. He was an inspector atLalbazar Police Station in the detective department of theCalcutta Police. He worked in the department for 33 years, from 1878 to 1911. He was a detective of theCalcutta Police. The British Government gave him the title ofRoybahadur (রায়বাহাদুর) for his excellent record in solving crimes in the city.[5]
In 1889, he began writing accounts of some of his cases in the journalAnusandhaan,[6] before moving in 1892 toDarogar Daptar (The Inspector's Files) devoted solely to his stories,[7][8] writing 206 stories[1] over the next 11 years. Some detractors claim that many of his self-proclaimed experiences written inDarogar Daptar were actually stories heavily inspired by foreign authors likeSir Arthur Conan Doyle and others.[citation needed]
He wrote his autobiography in 1911.[7]