Global Bengali: The International Journey of Bengali Literature, 1600-2025
Translation, Reception, and the Evolution of a World Literary Powerhouse
From the early missionary presses of Serampore and the intellectual currents of the Bengal Renaissance to Rabindranath Tagore's Nobel-winning global breakthrough and the contemporary rise of South Asian literature in translation-Bengali literature has traveled a long, transformative path across four centuries.
This groundbreaking study maps the global trajectory of Bengali literature, examining how the language of 300 million speakers evolved from a regional tradition into a dynamic world literary force. Covering the period 1600-2025, the book explores:
Key Themes
• The emergence of early Bengali print culture
• Colonial encounter, mission presses, and intercultural literary exchange
• Tagore and the globalization of Bengali literature
• Partition, nationalism, Liberation War narratives, and their global reflections
• Feminist, Dalit, minority & diasporic voices
• Translation as a vehicle of world recognition
• How Bangla literature is received in Europe, the U.S., Japan, Middle East & beyond
• The digital revolution in publishing and global Bengali readership
Why This Book Matters
This volume reveals how Bengali literature's themes-identity, resistance, migration, love, mythology, modernity-resonate with readers across the world. It situates Bengali literature within broader world literary debates, including cosmopolitanism, translation theory, comparative literature, and postcolonial studies.
Who Should Read This Book?
• Scholars of literature, humanities & world literature
• Researchers in South Asian studies and comparative literature
• Translators, publishers & global literary agents
• Students exploring literary modernity and global cultures
• Bengali readers eager to understand their literature's global journey
Prof. Dr. Milton Biswas-one of the most prolific scholars of Bangla studies-presents a sweeping, meticulously researched analysis that establishes Bengali literature's rightful place on the world stage.
