Today, November 13, marks the 76th birth anniversary of the legendary novelist, short story writer, playwright, lyricist, and filmmaker Humayun Ahmed. He was born on this day in 1948 in Mohanganj, Netrokona. Humayun, who succumbed to cancer on July 19, 2012, was the eldest son of police officer Faizur Rahman Ahmed and Ayesha Faiz, with three brothers and two sisters. He is regarded as one of the most popular Bangladeshi authors of the 20th century, considered one of the greatest and most beloved writers of post-independence Bangladesh. Known for his unique dialogue-driven style, he introduced a new narrative approach in Bengali literature and pioneered modern Bengali science fiction. His characters remain memorable even a decade after his passing, and he masterfully portrayed middle-class life with an enchanting prose style. At the Ekushey Book Fair organized by Bangla Academy, his books are still bestsellers among individual authors. After completing higher secondary education at Dhaka College, he studied chemistry at Dhaka University and polymer chemistry at North Dakota State University. After his studies abroad, he returned to Bangladesh and served as a professor in the Chemistry Department at Dhaka University for many years before leaving academia to focus on writing and filmmaking. His first novel, Nondito Noroke, was published in 1972, followed by Shonkhonil Karagar in 1974. These novels earned him acclaim from literary critics of the time. Throughout his nearly 50-year career, he rose to the pinnacle of popularity in Bengali literature. Due to his exceptional storytelling style, he is often called the “Magician of Stories.” His works are known for their candid portrayal of middle-class life. Humayun Ahmed authored over 200 novels, including Jochna O Jononir Golpo, Deyal, Badshah Namdar, Kobi, Shrabon Megher Din, Lilaboti, Gauripur Junction, Nripoti, Bohubrihi, Madhyanha, Eishob Dinratri, Daruchini Dip, and Nokkhotrer Raat. His characters "Himu" and "Misir Ali" gained immense popularity. He also gained fame for his science fiction and children’s stories, while his television dramas and films, such as Aaj Robibar, Eishob Dinratri, Bohubrihi, Ayomoy, Kothao Keu Nei, Nokkhotrer Raat, Aguner Poroshmoni, Shonkhonil Karagar, Shyamol Chhaya, Shrabon Megher Din, Daruchini Dip, and Ghetuputra Kamola, enjoyed widespread acclaim. In recognition of his contributions to literature, Humayun Ahmed received numerous awards, including the Ekushey Padak, Bangla Academy Award, Lekhak Shibir Award, Michael Madhusudan Award, and multiple National Film Awards. To mark his birth anniversary, Bangla Academy is organizing a seminar at the Shamsur Rahman Seminar Hall today at 4 PM. Dr. Sarker Amin, Director of the Department of Culture, Periodicals, and Auditorium, will deliver the welcome address. The seminar will feature a paper presentation by writer Salahuddin Shubho, with discussions by Professor Ahmed Maula and Professor Sumon Rahman. The event will be presided over by Bangla Academy Director General Professor Mohammad Azam.

The Nobel Prize in Literature 2024 is just around the corner, with frontrunners like Can Xue and Gerald Murnane making headlines. Each year, bookies release their predictions for who will claim the most prestigious prize in literature, and each year, they're completely off the mark. Tomorrow, the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature will be revealed as part of the Nobel committee's annual announcements. Once again, Chinese author Can Xue leads the odds as the frontrunner for the award. At 71, Can was also the top pick for last year's prize, but she lost out to Norwegian writer Jon Fosse. Fosse's win was seen as a surprise, given that his body of work—spanning plays, novels, poetry, and essays rarely reached beyond his large Norwegian readership. However, the Nobel committee praised his extensive bibliography, particularly his 'Septology'. This seven-part, 1,250-page epic, first released between 2019 and 2021 and published in English by Fitzcarraldo Press, was hailed as his "magnum opus." The Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded since 1901 and is traditionally the last of the Nobel prizes to be announced. To date, it has been awarded 116 times to 120 individuals—103 men and only 17 women. This year’s winner, revealed at the Swedish Academy, will also receive 11 million SEK (approximately €9.7 million). A glance at the bookies' odds a day before the announcement shows that the frontrunners are almost identical to last year's. Notably, Jon Fosse, last year's unexpected winner, barely appeared in the running beforehand, so take these odds with a grain of salt. Haruki Murakami, despite being a perennial favorite in the top three for years, seems unlikely to claim the prize anytime soon. When reviewing past winners, the Swedish Academy tends to either choose a relatively obscure figure like Jon Fosse or surprise with a popular yet unexpected choice. In 2017, few anticipated the win for widely acclaimed English-Japanese author Kazuo Ishiguro. The year before, Bob Dylan’s selection was an even greater shock. That said, here are the leading contenders for the 2024 prize: 1. Can Xue Can Xue's odds for the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature range from 10/1 to 4/1, but regardless of the variation, the Chinese author is widely regarded as the most likely candidate for the prize this year. Born Deng Xiaohua in 1953, Can Xue's upbringing was shaped by her parents' persecution as rightists by the Communist Party, a defining experience that influenced her avant-garde literary style, which departs from traditional Chinese norms. Renowned for her short story collections, Can Xue’s work is often considered challenging to translate, with many arguing that her unique style is difficult to capture in English. However, her 2019 novel 'Barefoot Doctor' has solidified her position as a strong contender for the Nobel. In addition to her fiction, Can is also celebrated for her literary criticism, offering deep insights into authors from the Western canon such as Dante, Jorge Luis Borges, and Franz Kafka. She has twice been longlisted for the International Booker Prize for her novel 'Love in the New Millennium' and the short story collection 'I Live in the Slums'. Though she’s the frontrunner, Can was in this same spot last year, when the prize ultimately went to Jon Fosse, an unexpected choice. Strong odds don’t guarantee this will be her year either. 2. Gerald Murnane Gerald Murnane has once again appeared in the bookies' predictions, frequently hailed as the "greatest living English-language writer." At 85, Murnane remains a perennial favorite for the Nobel Prize, and with no Australian winner in over 50 years, many believe his time may have come. Though not widely known, those familiar with Murnane’s work regard him as one of the finest writers of our time. His 1982 novel 'The Plains' and 1988's 'Inland' are prime examples of his unique, self-referential style, which often reflects on the nature of his artistry. 3. Haruki Murakami Once again, there’s talk that this might finally be Haruki Murakami’s year for the Nobel Prize. Murakami gained international fame with his 1987 novel 'Norwegian Wood', and has since become renowned for his signature blend of magical realism, seen in works like 'Kafka on the Shore' and 'The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle'. Despite being consistently tipped for the Nobel and having already won nearly every other literary award, Murakami remains an elusive choice for the prize. His works have also made a significant impact through film adaptations, including 'Burning' and the Oscar-winning 'Drive My Car'. His latest novel, 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' (released in English in 2023), may have garnered attention, but it likely won’t change the outcome this time either. Source: TN

The Nobel Prize winners are announced annually on the first Monday of October. Accordingly, last Monday (October 7), Tuesday (October 8), and Wednesday (October 9), the names of Nobel laureates in medicine, physics and chemistry were announced respectively. The name of the Nobel laureate in literature will be announced today (October 10) at 5 pm Bangladeshi time. In 2023, Norwegian writer and playwright Jon Fosse won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Appreciating his plays and literature, the Swedish Academy said Jon Fosse brought out many things that remained unspoken in his writings. All information about the award announcement can be seen directly on the Nobel Prize website. All announcements of this year's Nobel Prizes are broadcast live on nobelprize.org and the Nobel Prize Committee's YouTube channel. Two American scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun were jointly announced on Monday as the 2024 Nobel Prize winners in medicine or pharmacology. The Karolinska Institute's Nobel Assembly said the prize was awarded to them 'for the discovery of microRNAs and their role in post-transcriptional gene regulation'. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on Tuesday decided to jointly award the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics to John J. Hopfield and Geoffrey E. Hinton. "The award was given to them for 'fundamental discoveries and innovations that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks," the academy said. The Academy on Wednesday announced US scientist David Baker for computational protein design and British scientists Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper as joint winners of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 'protein structure prediction'. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has been awarding this prize every year since 1901, 5 years after the death of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish scientist, and inventor of 'Dynamite'. The award is given in his name and legacy. The prize money is handed over to the winners every year on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death. Prize winners in each case receive a gold medal, a diploma with a certificate, and currently 11 million Swedish krona. A shortlist of 300 people is made every year for the Nobel Prize. After the screening, the award is given to one or more people in different categories. French poet and essayist Sully Prudhomme (1839–1907) won the first Nobel Prize in Literature in 1901.  

Many cultures around the world, including the Harappans, noticed that the Big Dipper constellation of seven stars (shaped like a giant spoon) rotates in the northern sky. Its orientation marks the different seasons. When its position over spring, summer, autumn, and winter is marked, it creates the hooked cross: a symbol of celestial and seasonal rhythms, marking the times to sow seeds, harvest crops, and migrate with animals or anticipate floods or rains. This hooked cross is known as 'Swastika' in Vedic traditions, for the phrase ‘su-asti’ means to let good things happen. This symbol is found in Harappan seals. This indicates they were aware of the north, and the movement of the Big Dipper over the seasons. In Vedic texts, the Big Dipper is called ‘SaptaRishi mandala’ and is linked to the seven sages. We do not know if the word ‘Swastika’ or the concept of seven sages existed in Harappan times. But the symbol certainly existed. What it meant then we can only speculate. Directions were certainly important to Harappans as we see their streets were aligned to the cardinal directions.  Seven sages seven sisters Tree worship and animal sacrifice are part of many desi (folk) and margi (mainstream) rituals in India. Harappan seals depict this as well. In one famous seal, a markhor is being offered in sacrifice by a devotee wearing a horned helmet to a deity standing between trees—also wearing a horned helmet. There is also an image of seven people dancing. They all have plumage on their heads, a pigtail or hanging hood behind the head, bangles around their arms, and are wearing skirts. Are these seven men or women? If women, they could represent the seven stars of the Pleiades constellation (Krittika nakshatra) that marked the eastern sky during the Harappan spring. If men, they could be the seven stars of the Big Dipper constellation (Sapta-rishi mandala) that can be seen rotating around the north to this day. In Vedic literature, the seven sages had seven wives. The sages accused the wives of infidelity and so the wives moved away from the northern sky towards the eastern horizon, to reside with the constellation Taurus, the bull (Rishabha Rashi). From 4000 to 2000 bc, the sun was in the house of Taurus during the spring equinox, a memory that resurfaces in Shatapatha Brahmana (800 AD). After 2000 bc, it moved towards the house of Aries. Currently, it is in the house of Pisces. The shift happens gradually over 2,150 years. Does this Harappan artwork indicate a spring equinox festival? Starry sky The idea of dividing the sky into twenty-seven (3x3x3) divisions (nakshatra) is found in the Vedas but not in the Avesta. This was a Harappan memory. The months of the Hindu calendar are named after star clusters near which the full moon occurred when the calendar was being formulated. As per astronomers, the moon was closest to these nakshatra around 3000 bc. This indicates that the Harappans introduced the immigrant Aryans to the nakshatra system of dividing the sky.  Harappans were also drawn to the sky, which is why their cities were laid as a grid, with streets running along the cardinal directions. Alignment with stars seems to be the only explanation for the streets in cities like Kalibangan not being parallel to walls, or for the strange oblique cuts in the rectangular rock-cut wells of Dholavira. On pottery, we do see stars. This includes images of peacocks flying towards the stars, carrying humans in their bellies, and stars in the bodies of fish. Some scholars argue that the word for star and the word for fish was the same in the Harappan language, as it is in the modern Dravidian language—min. So fish symbols in Harappan script refer to stars and constellations. This article derived from Devdutt Pattanaik's 'Ahimsa' with the permission of HarperCollins India.

Nazrul-sangeet singer Mirajul Jannat Sonia has been nominated as the finalist for PNS-Bipasha Guhathakurta Memorial Award-2024. The award will be officially handed over to the recipient on April 30. Remembering the fondest memories of late artist Bipasha Guthakurta, 'PNS-Bipasha Guhathakurta Smriti Sammanna' was launched from this year. The award includes cash and crest. Bipasha Guhathakurata was the founder of popular cultural organisation Prasanga Nazrul Sangeet (PNS).   Artist Mirajul Jannat Sonia is a known face in Nazrul sector. She is a disciple of Pandit Ullas Kaslkar of the classical genre of music.