Humble beginnings to Padma Award, Roy’s journey is one of resilience

Siliguri: Born in Bodapara, Jalpaiguri, Nagendranath Roy’s life has not been a bed of roses. The “Valmiki” of the Rajbanshi Community has had to battle many odds to reach his current status and also get the Padma Shri Award.

He was conferred this national award for his unparalleled contribution to literature and the preservation of the Rajbanshi language.

The 72-year-old scholar and former headmaster is the first person to translate Ramayana directly from Sanskrit into Rajbanshi language. Roy’s life has been a picture of resilience and dedication. Raised by his mother, Bhagyeshwari Devi; Roy and his mother struggled for survival. They moved to Siliguri due to poverty and had to stay with one of her relatives, Sachindranath Roy, for years.

Later, Roy started studying at Bhuvanjyot Primary School, Harasundar High School and then went to Siliguri College, where he studied Bengali. After passing his Part-One exams, he began his teaching career at Bhuvanjyot Primary School. Currently, he is living in a house with a tin roof in Chaitanyapur area in Shiv Mandir, Siliguri.

Despite his professional commitments, Roy pursued his passion for literature. In addition to translating the Ramayana, he has translated works such as the Chandi, Geeta and Rabindranath Tagore’s Chandalika into the Rajbanshi language. His seven-volume translation of the Ramayana is set to be published on the first day of the Bengali month of Baisakh next year. Roy has received several awards over the years, including Shiksha Ratna Award in 2011 and honours like the Saraswati Brahmaputra, Rajbanshi Bhasha Sahitya Bhagirathi and in 2015, Sanskar Bharati, Rajbanshi Bhasha Academy and Prasar Bharati Awards. Yet, he regards the Padma Shri as the pinnacle of his achievements.

“This award is not for me alone; it is an honour for the Ramayana and for the Rajbanshi language,” said Roy.

Roy lives with his wife, son, daughter-in-law and five-month-old granddaughter.

He has dedicated his Padma Shri to his late mother, Bhagyeshwari Devi, crediting her sacrifices for his success. Narendra Roy, his son, said: “This is a proud moment for our whole community. This is our achievement. We are very happy and proud.”