Chatterji, Bankim Chandra (1838-1894), was an Indian author who wrote the first modern novels in the Bengali language. The patriotism of his novels brought him popularity with Indian nationalists.
Chatterji initially wrote novels in English, but he made his name with Durgeshnandini (1865), a historical romance. It was the first Bengali novel to be written in the modern European style. In 1872, he founded a Bengali newspaper, Bangadarshan, in which some of his later novels were serialized. Many of Chatterji’s novels are romances with a domestic theme and an emphasis on traditional morality. They include Kapalkundala (1886), Krishnakanter Will (1878), Anandamath (1882), and Sitaram (1886). These novels were immensely popular and had a considerable influence on the development of Bengali literature.
Chatterji was born on June 27, 1838, near Naihati, Bengal, in India. He was educated at Hooghly College and at Presidency College, Calcutta (now Kolkata), and he was one of the first graduates of the University of Calcutta. He served as an official in the Indian civil service from 1858 to 1891. Chatterji died on April 8, 1894.
