Rupanjali, a volume is published in memory of Prof. O.C. Gangoly as a part of his centenary celebration. The contents of the book have been planned in two sections namely (i) The Reminiscences and Tributes and (ii) The Essays. The Reminiscences and Tributes reveal the profile and personality of Prof. Gangoly and his deep involvement in art and culture of India and cognate areas. His versatile genius is manifested in his manifold activities. As a man he was a very kind hearted generous person, as a solicitor – a competent professional, as a scholar – an expert and a connoisseur of art with deep and penetrating eyes for the understanding of the beauty in them and explain those with equal proficiency through a very lucid language of his own. As editor of Rupam he will for ever be remembered as unique in the field. That he was a painter of merit is witnessed by one in his paintings entitled ‘The first image of Buddha’ which has been illustrated in this volume. The essays have been contributed by eminent scholars and experts in the respective areas. They comprise of various fields where new discoveries and researches have been conducted during the recent past. These may be held as fitting tributes to the memory of the savant. The article of Swami Prajnanananda on O.C. Gangoly’s findings on the origin and psychic value of the Ragas and Raginis of Indian Music deserves special attention as it reveals a rare side of Prof. Gangoly’s contribution to the study of Indian music. The volume has thus been enriched with contributions from eminent scholars, experts and art connoisseurs well known in the respective fields of specialization. Among those, the reminiscences and tributes from eminent friends of Prof. Gangoly like Mulkraj Anand, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay and tributes from his admirers like P.C. Chunder, former Union Minister for Education and Culture have further enriched the volume. The cover design by Shri Indra Dugar has been specially made to mark his respect to the volume.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kalyan Kumar Ganguly
Kalyan Kumar Ganguli (b. 1912) was awarded the prestigious Premchand Roychand studentship in 1944 and Ph.D. in 1950 of the University of Calcutta. He joined the University as a lecturer in the Department of Ancient Indian History and Culture in 1945. As Reader in the Department he acted as the Head of the Department of Museology and also as the Officer-in-Charge of the Asutosh Museum (1967-73). He was appointed Head & Director of the Centre of Advanced Study in the Department of Ancient Indian History and Culture in 1973 and retired from the same position as Rani Bagiswari a Professor of Indian Art in 1978. He had been to U.S.A. as a member of a group of leaders and specialists chosen from different Indian universities by the Ministry of Education in 1957; visited Poland on an exchange programme of the U.G.C. in 1968; was Honorary Director, Indian Institute of Art in Industry, Calcutta (1959-63); and was a member of the Committee set up by Ministry of Education to report on Museum Development in 1970. He has been associated with Museums Association of India since 1944, and was its President (1970-72).
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sachindra Sekhar Biswas
Dr. S.S. Biswas, (b. 1938), Former Director General, National Museum, New Delhi, also Vice-Chancellor of the National Museum Institute of History of Art, Conservation and Museology (Deemed University) is presently holding the prestigious position of Chairman, UNESCO-ICOM ASIA-PACIFIC Organisation. He is an eminent Archaeologist, Art-historian and Museologist of the country. In his various capacities in Archaeological Survey of India; Director, Indian Museum; DG, National Museum; he has contributed substantially in building up many cultural institutions specially museums as also promoting the cause of museum profession in India and now in the Asia Pacific Region. He has several books and articles to his credit of original thought drawing his first hand knowledge and acquaintance with the art and archaeological artefacts. He has widely travelled throughout the world with several high power delegations and also arranged exhibitions and exchange programmes for bringing the cross-cultural identity and co-operation between different nations.
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