Uttarsadhak by Bani Basu [Hardcover]

Medhashree, the third child of Ashok Bhatnagar and Leela Duttagupta, has roots in Meerut from her father and Bengal from her mother. She dropped the "Shree" from her name, not out of a desire to be devoid of grace, but due to a strong aversion to the long-standing associations of disappointment, oppression, injustice, and self-satisfaction with the word "Shree." Medha could not sever her roots in Kolkata, her father's workplace, and stayed on, making a living as a professor of history. She spent ten years in the United States, in two five-year stints. Medha Bhatnagar's life is extraordinary. Married, yet a virgin. This book by Bani Basu is a socially conscious and accomplished novel about Medha Bhatnagar's remarkable past life and her ongoing life of creating history with her students. In the grand canvas of several families, she intricately weaves an intimate picture of relationships among people from various strata, contemporary student life, a unique and inspiring ideal student union, and the extensive story of the conflict between ideals and interests. It is equally intriguing from beginning to end. Contemporary yet timeless.