India offers help to restore Satyajit Ray’s ancestral home in Bangladesh

New Delhi Jul16: The Government of India has expressed deep concern over the demolition of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s ancestral property in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, and offered to cooperate in its restoration. In an official statement, India said it had noted “with profound regret” the demolition of the property, which once belonged to Ray’s grandfather, the eminent writer and publisher Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury. The historic structure, owned by the Government of Bangladesh, has reportedly fallen into disrepair.

Authorities in Mymensingh have begun tearing down the house to make way for a semi-concrete building, according to a report by The Daily Star, a leading Bangladeshi news website. Calling the building a “landmark symbol of the Bangla cultural renaissance,” the Indian government urged a reconsideration of the demolition and suggested exploring alternatives for its restoration. It proposed converting the site into a museum dedicated to literature and shared cultural heritage between India and Bangladesh. “The Government of India would be willing to extend cooperation for this purpose,” the statement said, underlining the structure’s historical and emotional significance to both nations. Satyajit Ray, one of India’s most revered filmmakers, is widely celebrated for his contribution to world cinema, while his grandfather was a towering figure of Bengali literature and the founder of the iconic children’s magazine Sandesh.