Tagore scholar William Radice passes away

Kolkata: William Radice, a renowned poet, scholar, and translator, dedicated his life to sharing Bengali literature with the world. At 73, he passed away after battling terminal cancer.

His wife, Elizabeth, confirmed the news of his death on Monday. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Known as a ‘friend of the Bengali literature,’ Radice became a bridge between Bengali literature and English-speaking readers.

His translations of Rabindranath Tagore’s works including Debotar Grash, Konika, Likhan, Sphuling, and stories like Jibito o Mrito, Postmaster and Kabuliwala made Tagore’s eternal stories accessible to a global audience. Radice also brought Michael Madhusudan Dutt’s epic Meghnad Badh Kavya and Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury’s Toontoonir Boi into English.

Radice’s love for the Bengali language began with his interest in the events of Bangladesh’s Liberation War, which sparked a deep curiosity that grew into a lifelong passion.

Respected in Kolkata and Visva-Bharati for his work, he was dedicated to promoting Bengali literature and culture. In 2012, he even took on the role of the king in an English production of Tagore’s play Raja in Kolkata, bringing the character to life on stage.

Rabindra Sangeet exponent Sahana Bajpaie grieved the loss of the Tagore scholar, who was her teacher at SOAS University of London. Taking to social media, she wrote how Radice encouraged her to live outside the country and

strengthened the love for the Bengali language.