Amiya Chakravarty, Poet, Critic, and Literary Scholar
Poet, Critic, and Literary Scholar

Amiya Chakravarty

Born 10 April 1901 · West Bengal — Died 12 June 1986

Edited several volumes of Rabindranath Tagore's poetry and won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1963.

Amiya Chandra Chakravarty (1901–1986) was an Indian literary critic, academic, and Bengali poet. He was a close associate of Rabindranath Tagore, and edited several books of his poetry. He was also an associate of Gandhi, and an expert on the American catholic writer and monk, Thomas Merton. Chakravarty was honoured for his own poetry with the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1963.

✨

A detail that
surprised us

“

In 1966, Thomas Merton dedicated his book Zen and the Birds of Appetite to Amiya Chakravarty after their meeting at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky.

The Story

1
In 1924, Amiya Chakravarty became the literary secretary to Rabindranath Tagore, editing several of his poetry books while traveling with him through Europe, America, Iran, and Iraq until 1933.
2
🌿 In 1930, Chakravarty walked alongside Mahatma Gandhi during the Salt March, linking his literary world with India’s pivotal independence movement.
3After 1933, he secured a D.Phil. from Oxford University by 1937, later lecturing at Britain’s Selly Oak College and serving as a senior research fellow at Oxford until 1940.
4In 1948, Chakravarty shifted to the United States, joining Howard University’s English department and later holding prestigious fellowships at Yale and Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study in 1950–51.

🏅 Awards & Honours

1970
Padma Bhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

“

Chakravarty was not only a literary figure but also walked in Gandhi's 1930 Salt March, placing him at the frontline of India’s freedom struggle alongside his literary pursuits.

📸 Through the Years

📷

No photos yet

Help preserve history — add a photo of this icon

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Born in West Bengal
Amiya Chakravarty was born on April 10, 1901, in West Bengal, India.
1901
📚
Education
Joined Visva-Bharati University
Chakravarty enrolled as a student at Visva-Bharati University, founded by Rabindranath Tagore, marking the start of his lifelong association with the poet.
1921
⚡
Career
Became Tagore's literary secretary
Chakravarty began his role as literary secretary to Rabindranath Tagore, editing his poetry and accompanying him on international tours.
1924
🌟
Other
Walked Salt March with Gandhi
Chakravarty joined Mahatma Gandhi during the Salt March, connecting his literary life with India’s independence movement.
1930
📚
Education
Earned D.Phil. from Oxford
Completed his doctoral studies at Oxford University and began lecturing at Selly Oak College and as a senior research fellow at Oxford.
1937
⚡
Career
Joined Howard University faculty
Moved to the U.S. to teach English at Howard University, later holding fellowships at Yale and Princeton.
1948
🏅
Award
Received Sahitya Akademi Award
Awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for his Bengali poetry collection Ghare Pherar Din.
1963
⚡
Career
Visited Thomas Merton in Kentucky
Met American Catholic monk Thomas Merton at the Abbey of Gethsemani, who later dedicated a book to him.
1966
🕊️
Death
Passed away
Amiya Chakravarty died in 1986, leaving behind a legacy as a poet, critic, and cross-cultural scholar.
1986
More moments to come...
+ Add a moment

🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
🔍LESSER KNOWN

He served as Rabindranath Tagore’s literary secretary from 1924 to 1933 and accompanied the poet on international tours to Europe, America, Iran, and Iraq.

02 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Despite his Indian roots, Chakravarty earned a D.Phil. from Oxford University in 1937 and later taught at several U.S. universities, including Howard and Boston University.

03 / 04
💡SURPRISING

He was an expert on the American Catholic monk and writer Thomas Merton, who dedicated his 1968 book to Chakravarty after their 1966 meeting.

No quote recorded for Amiya Chakravarty yet.

🌱 What changed because of them

Amiya Chakravarty bridged Indian and Western literary and spiritual traditions through his work as a scholar, poet, and editor, influencing how Rabindranath Tagore’s poetry was translated and interpreted globally. His teaching roles at institutions like Howard University, Boston University, and SUNY New Paltz helped shape comparative literature and religious studies curricula, fostering cross-cultural understanding during the post-independence era. His critical writings on Thomas Hardy and his close associations with leaders like Gandhi added nuanced perspectives to literary criticism and Indian intellectual history.

💬 Social Buzz

💬

What are people saying about Amiya Chakravarty?

Share posts from historians, journalists and notable voices about this icon. 🇮🇳

💭 Memories & Tributes

Share your memory of Amiya Chakravarty...
Loading memories...
Is this profile accurate?