Isaac Harold Gomes –
Kolkata: On 30 January 2026, a historic book was released at the 49th International Book Fair Kolkata. The book is captioned “ফাদার রবের আঁতোয়ান – ব্যক্তি ও সৃষ্টি” (meaning Fr Robert Antoine SJ: his persona and creation).
The dignitaries present at the book launch at Mahashweta Hall were: Dr Krishna Roy (former Principal- Bethune College), Professor Rajib Choudhury (Head of the Department, St Xavier’s College, Kolkata), Dr Suranjan Midday (Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata), Mr Chittaranjan Roy (close associate of Fr Antoine), Mr Anup Gayen (Senior Teacher, Raghabpur St Paul’s High School), Biswajyoti Dasgupta (noted writer), Dr Debashish Bhattacharyya, Fr Francis Sunil Rosario and Mr Aniruddha Mondal representing Ashadeep Publication, Kolkata which published the above book.
The Book has been compiled and edited by Dr Madhumita Acharya and Dr Debashish Bhattacharyya (St Xavier’s College Raghabpur Campus) and Fr Johnson Padiyara SJ. Fr Dominic Savio SJ, Principal of St Xavier’s College Kolkata (SXC) is Editor. It is a product of combined inputs by Mr Chittaranjan Roy, Dr Suranjan Midday, Biswajyoti Dasgupta, Subhashish Chakraborty, Professor Rajib Choudhury, Snehasis Sur (President of Press Club Kolkata) and Mr Animesh Dutta Banik.
Fr Antoine (1914 in Belgium – 1981 Calcutta) who taught Comparative Literature at Jadavpur University (JU) from 1956 to 1981 and had a mastery over French, Greek, Dutch, Latin, English, Bengali and Sanskrit, among others. He was rightly an international scholar, and it was befitting that his Book was released at an International Book Fair.
At the outset Mr Chittaranjan Roy (former teacher St Xavier’s Collegiate School) who has done extensive work on Fr Antoine, paid glowing tributes to him as a master of languages, theology and Indian music. He said Fr Antoine who came to India in 1939 at 25 years’ age, loved Bengal, its language and cultural heritage so much that he called himself ‘দ্বিজ’ (means born twice – once as a Belgian and then as an Indian in Bengal) and ‘জ্ঞানপিপাসু’ (Seeker of Knowledge).
Dr Krishna Roy said she was amazed at the versatile persona of Fr Antoine. She wondered whether his invaluable works/translations from Greek, Latin and other languages were preserved properly for lovers of literature.
Dr Suranjan Midday hailed Fr Antoine as a great thinker, Master of Literature, a great musician and ‘দুঃসাহসী সমাজ সংস্কারক’ (which means a daring social reformer). He said that Fr Antoine introduced ‘mixed marriages’ among Catholics which was unthinkable those days and caused tremors in the orthodox Church. He praised both SXC and the publishers Ashadeep for a rare collaboration in bringing out an excellent book with rare photographs. He suggested that the publishers reduce the price (INR 600) to help many book lovers buy it. At the Book Fair, the book can be procured at 25% discount.
Professor Rajib Choudhury observed that Bengali literature was going through a tough period and that we need to make concerted efforts to tide over this crisis. He said the Department of Comparative Literature-JU, SXC Kolkata and ‘Desh’ Patrika were playing a stellar role in this revival, and the publication of the above-mentioned book was a step towards this rejuvenation. He reiterated that Fr Antoine’s path-breaking translations of Greek plays, need to be reprinted and archived properly. He applauded Ashadeep Publications for collaborating with SXC.
Biswajyoti Dasgupta said he came in touch with Fr Antoine in SXC in 1972. He said that Buddhadeva Bose, Bengali poet, novelist and critic who founded the Department of Comparative Literature at JU in 1956, took Fr Antoine on the Faculty. He also hailed Fr Antoine as a true practitioner of Inculturation of the Latin Liturgy into local languages/cultures, as exhorted by Second Vatican Council. Fr Antoine composed many Bengali songs and introduced Rabindra Sangeet which synchronized very well with Bengali Church Liturgy.
Fr Francis Sunil Rosario (Regional Secretary – Dialogue Commission) recalled Fr Antoine’s teaching of ‘Gita’ at Morning Star College Barrackpore. He observed that along with Fr Paul Detienne SJ (1924–2016), Fr Antoine enriched Bengali and Sanskrit literature much more than Indian scholars. He ended his tribute by singing ‘Vande Vande Sachidanandam Vande Sachidanandam,’ a Sanskrit composition by Brahmabandhab Upadhyay (Bengali theologian, journalist and freedom fighter) and the tune given by Fr Antoine.
Mr Anup Gayen conducted the entire programme very well
There is something about the foreign “missionaries” of yore that is missing in the modern “machineries” of today