India Steps In To Save Satyajit Ray's Ancestral Home In Bangladesh From Demolition, Offers To Restore

New Delhi: The Indian government has expressed deep regret over the reported demolition of Satyajit Ray's ancestral property in Bangladesh's Mymensingh and has offered to cooperate with the Bangladeshi authorities to restore the historic landmark. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the property, which belongs to Satyaji Ray's grandfather, Upendra Kishor Ray Chowdhury, holds significant cultural value and symbolises the Bangla cultural renaissance.

Ray's ancestral home, currently owned by the Bangladesh government, is in a state of disrepair. The MEA explained the importance of preserving the property, given its landmark status, and urged the Bangladeshi government to reconsider the demolition plan. "Given the building's landmark status, symbolising Bangla cultural renaissance, it would be preferable to reconsider the demolition and examine options for its repair and reconstruction as a museum of literature and a symbol of the shared culture of India and Bangladesh," the ministry said.

Satyajit Ray, the legendary Indian filmmaker, was born in Kolkata on May 2 in the year 1921. His works, including ‘The Apu Trilogy’, ‘Jalsaghar’, ‘Charulata’, ‘Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne’, ‘Pather Panchali’, and ‘Shatranj Ke Khiladi’, are considered some of the greatest contributions to Indian cinema. Ray's legacy extends beyond filmmaking, as he was also a screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, author, essayist, lyricist, magazine editor, illustrator, calligrapher, and composer. He received numerous awards, including 32 Indian National Film Awards and an Academy Honorary Award in 1992. Satyajit Ray was also honoured with the Bharat Ratna in 1992.

India's Offer Of Cooperation

The West Bengal government also expressed deep concern over the demolition. The state government urged both the Indian and Bangladeshi governments to take action to preserve the historic site, describing the Ray family as torchbearers of Bengal's cultural legacy. The government asserted that Satyajit Ray's property signifies Bengal's cultural history and appealed to the Bangladeshi government to preserve the edifice of rich tradition.

The Indian government has offered to extend cooperation to the Government of Bangladesh for the repair and reconstruction of Satyajit Ray's ancestral property.