Manoranjan Byapari

Early life

He was born in Barishal, Bangladesh. His family migrated to West Bengal when he was aged three. The family was first resettled in Bankura, Shiromanipur Refugee camp. Later they were forced to shift to Ghutiyari Sharif, Gholadoltala Refugee Camp, South 24 Paraganas and they lived their till 1969. However, the young Byapari had left his home at the age of fourteen and undertook a number of low-paid infromal sector jobs in various cities in Assam, Lucknow, Delhi and Allahabad. After spending two years in Dandakaranya, he shifted to Kolkata in 1973. He had brief stint with the Naxals in central India. It was during his prison term, he educated himself to read. He was closely associated with the famous labour activist Shankar Guha Niyogi.

Life as an author

He came to prominence with the publication of his influential essay 'Is there a Dalit writing in Bangla?" in the journal EPW. While working as a rickshaw puller, he had chance meeting with Mahasweta Devi, and "she asked him to write for her 'Bartika' journal".

He has pointed out that how the Upper Caste refugees from East Bengal are given preferential treatment while being resettled in Kolkata, as favoured by the Upper Caste officials in the West Bengal.

Rajya Sabha TV has made a documentary on his life.

Books

Itibritte Chandal Jiban is an autobiography, considered by some to be the best in Bangla Language. The book records the Dalit experiences of oppression in Bengal which is otherwise known as a 'casteless society', as claimed by many a bhadralok. Being a Dalit is central to his writing. as he says, "I’m a Dalit by birth. Only a dalit, oppressed by social forces can experience true dalan(oppression) in life. There should be that dalan as a dalit in Dalit writing! Dalit literature should be based on dalit life. Some of my writings deal with dalit life; some to be judged neutrally, without any preconceived estimation". He says he is a chandal in two ways, by birth and by rage (krodha chandal)[1].