New Delhi, Nov. 15 -- For generations of Bengalis weaned on a homegrown treasure trove of humour writing, Shibram Chakraborty is a familiar name. Born in 1903, he was an eccentric spirit, known for his razor-sharp puns and self-deprecatory jokes. Generous to a fault, he never married, lived in a mess bari (hostels mostly occupied by working men) in north Kolkata, and died in 1980 in financial dire straits. In his lifetime, he published over 150 books, apart from novels, stories, essays, poems and sundry other pieces in magazines and periodicals. He was also a legendary raconteur, the shining star of the daily addas that were, once upon a time, inextricably linked with the cultural DNA of the city.

Like many Bengali children of my time, I...