A weaver of stories from heaps of history

A Bengal bureaucrat has garnered fame for his unique historical narratives; bringing the past to life in all its drama and intensity, his writing reminds us that history is more than a series of dates; it's a live narrative that shapes our present, says Sulagna Sengupta

- Sulagna Sengupta

SHANTANU Basu, a man deeply woven into the fabric of West Bengal's bureaucratic machinery as the Joint Secretary to the Minority Affairs Department, is far more than just a civil servant. He is a storyteller, a weaver of historical narratives that transport readers to eras long past, bringing to life the triumphs, tragedies, and the raw human emotions that shaped the course of history.

His literary endeavorus, particularly his series of Bengali historical books, have not only garnered critical acclaim but also captured the imagination of readers young and old, becoming a highlight of last year's Kolkata International Book Fair.