Tapan Chattopadhyay ( Ph.D., D.Litt. ) :
 

Tapan Chattopadhyay is the author of some pioneering books of research in both English and Bengali. He has also written popular novels and short stories in Bengali. His earliest published work was a book of poems, Galita Periye (Crossing the Alley), 1977, in Bengali. He has since mostly written prose, occasionally contributing poems to different literary magazines. Recently some of them were compiled in a volume titled Ekta Samay Ashe (A Time Comes).

Though Dr. Chattopadhyay's Bengali novels and short stories now have a sizeable readership, some of his original research works based on primary materials are well known and found in almost all important libraries in India. Among them are: The Story of Lalbazar- Its Origin and Growth (Firma K.L.M. Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata, 1982), the first-ever history of Calcutta (Kolkata) Police, and Lepchas and Their Heritage (BR. Publishing Corporation, Delhi, 1990), an immensely readable and informative study of the little known tribe of Sikkim and Darjeeling found on www.amazon.com and other websites also.His recently published tome The INA’s  Secret Service in Southeast Asia : Its Background, Infrastructure, Resources and Activities during World War II. (Readers Services, Kolkata, 2011) is moreover, a pioneering work on the Indian revolutionary army's intelligence service. His two more recent work are : Kolkata and its police - A History of city police from charnock's to present day ( Naya Udyog, Kolkata, 2017) and a historical fiction. The Horizon of Hope ( Amazon Publising, USA).

Chattopadhyay was born on 13 March, 1946, in the old zamindar family of Pindira situated on the bank of the Jamuna, now in Kalna sub-division of Burdwan district, but erstwhile in Hooghly district.

The author's father Phanindra Nath settled down at Guptipara and his childhood was spent in the village. He came to Kolkata for studying English literature first in Scottish Church College and then in Calcutta University. His mother Baruna (her maiden surname was Roy, actually Bandyopadhyay), though her parents were settled in Bhubaneswar and Puri, also belonged originally to Hooghly district. She was a descendant of the eldest son of Krishna Kanta Roy of Radhanagar; Krishna Kanta's youngest son was the grand­father of Raja Ram Mohan Roy.

From the beginning, Chattopadhyay showed inclination for literature and history. He was the English editor of the Scottish Church College magazine and later became the joint editor of the University journal Ekata. After completing his university studies, he had a brief stint in teaching and research. Later, he took a Ph. D. degree in history from Jadavpur University. Subsequently in March 2016 Dr. Chattopadhyay was awarded D.Litt. degree in history by Vidyasagar University. Dr. Chattopadhyay has worked for more than thirty-eight years as a member of the Indian Police Service (IPS) in six organisations covering seven states. In the process, he has known places and people in Tripura, Nagaland, Manipur, northern India,Sikkim, Orissa and different parts of West Bengal. He has also visited Greece, Italy, France, England, Myanmar and the USA. His varied experiences have enriched his writing.
 
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As a Writer :
 

Dr. Chattopadhyay has written interesting novels, short stories and articles on subjects as varied as Calcutta cops, liberation of Bangladesh, victimology for common man, spy helping Sir Francis Drake in destroying the Spanish Armada, exploits of Old Calcutta detectives, little known people of the North-East, untold accounts of the Indian revolutionary army INA, Aryan civilization in Ancient Mesopotamia, true location of Ravana's Lanka and so on.

Moreover, he is the founder vice- president of the Indian Mythological Research Centre, Kolkata, and is the executive editor of its quarterly journal Pouraniki.
Chattopadhyay has received the Michael Modhusudan Award and Gold Medal, 2005, for his Bengali novel Nagar Rakshi (Guardians of the City) and the Uttar Banga Natya Jagat Award, 2007, for his book of poems Ekta Samay Ashe (A Time Comes). He has also been given the Bartabahak Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.
Chattopadhyay stays with his wife Jaya at Kamala Park, Dhakuria, Kolkata. His daughter stays in New Jersey. His son also is in the USA doing Ph.D. in Physics.

Some of Chattopadyay's works are mentioned below.

Poetry ( Bengali):

  • Galita Periye (Crossing the Alley), Best Books, Kolkata, 1977.
  • Ekta Samay Ashe (A Time Comes), Patralekha, Kolkata, 2005.

Novels (Bengali):

  • Nagar Rakshi (Guardians of the City), Bharati Book Stall, Kolkata, 2002. The first ever novel onthe intimate life of Calcutta cops.
  • Kolkatar Sherlock Holmes (The Sherlock Holmes of Calcutta), Das Gupta and Sons. Kolkata, 2003. A collection of short stories on the exploits of the detectives of Old Calcutta. Rich in historical content.
  • Ekattarer Agun (Fire of Seventy-One), Modern Column and Raysons, Kolkata, 1993 and 2003. A historical fiction on the freedom struggle in Bangladesh.
  • Kruddha Pahar, Trashta Manush (Angry Hills, Frightened People), Dasgupta and Sons, Kolkata, 2007. A collection of short stories on the inhabitants of the north­eastern hills.
  • Jayadeber Punthi Rahasya, Bharati Book Stall, M.G. Road,Kolkata,2003.An action- packed thriller revolving on the theft
    of the fictitious 12th century folio epic of Poet Jaydeb.
  • Nau Bijoyer Nepatheye (Behind the Victory over the Armada), Deep Prakashan, Bidhan Sarani, Kolkata, 2008. A fiction based on the real-life spy Anthony Standen who helped Sir Francis Drake in destroying the Spanish Armada.
  • Operation Kandahar, Patra Bharati, Kolkata.
 
 
His Works:
 
  • The Story of Lalbazar -Its Origin and Growth, Firma K.L.M Pvt.Ltd. Kolkata, 1982.The first -ever history of Calcutta (Kolkata) Police.
  • Lepchas and their Heritage, BR. Publishing Corporation, Delhi, 1990. A pioneering work on the Lepchas (actually, Rongs) of Sikkim and Darjeeling. Available on www. Amazon.com and other websites.
  • The INA’s Secret Service in Southeast Asia: Its Background, infrastructure, Resources  and  Activities during World War II, Readers Service, Kolkata, 2011
  • Kolkata and Its police - A History of city police from Charnock's to Present Day.
  • The Horizon of Hope.
  • Article on The INA 's Secret Service available in Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Indian Freedom Struggle, Volume 2, edited by Ratna Ghosh, Deep and Deep Publications (P.) Ltd., Rajouri Garden, New Delhi, 2006.
  • Article titled Victory unto Defeat: the INA on the Kohima Front published in Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Birth Centenary Volume, Jayashree Patrika Trust, Kolkata, December, 1999.
  • Article titled The INA 's Kohima Offensive-An Untold Account published in the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Commemorative Volume published by Scottish College, Kolkata, 1998.
  • Article   on Rev. Lai Behari Day- A Lonely Rebel published in the 175th Year Commemorative Volume (1830-2005) of Scottish Church College, Kolkata, 2008.
  • Article captioned Valmiki 's Rama: A Historical Perspective in the Puja Number of Pouraniki, the quarterly journal of the Indian Mythological Research Centre, Kolkata, 2003.
  • Article on Aryan Civilization in Ancient Mesopotamia (in Bengali) in the Puja Number of Pouraniki and the monthly literary magazine Prantik, 2005.
  • Article captioned In Quest of the Location of Ravana's Lanka (in Bengali) in the Puja Number of the popular monthly Prasad.
 
 
His Published Books: