A public discussion dedicated to Taras Shevchenko, Ukraine’s national poet and one of the key anti-imperial voices of the 19th century, took place in the Mahasweta Devi Hall as part of the 49th International Book Fair in Kolkata.
The central event of the discussion was the presentation of a Bengali translation of selected works by Shevchenko, translated by Dr Mridula Ghosh. The publication was released in 2025 by Jadavpur University Press / যাদবপুর বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় প্রকাশনা and represents an important step in popularising Ukrainian classical literature among Bengali readers.
As part of the programme, Ukrainian writer Lyubko Deresh presented an overview of Shevchenko’s life journey — from serfdom to freedom, his development as an artist and poet, and his persecution by the Russian Empire.
A separate element of the programme was the recitation of the poem Zapovit / Testament / ইচ্ছাপত্র in Ukrainian and Bengali by Aandrita Mahanand, winner of the Grand Prix of the international competition of readers of Taras Shevchenko’s works.
The discussion also featured Professor Nandita Bagchi, Head of Jadavpur University Press, Professor Abhijit Gupta, and journalist Riju Basu, who focused on issues of translation, the reception of Shevchenko in the Bengali cultural context, and the relevance of his legacy today.