Pabitra Sarkar is a distinguished linguist, literary critic, educator, theatre practitioner, children’s writer, and singer of Rabindra Sangeet, with three CDs to his credit. Born in 1937 in a village near Dhaka and displaced by Partition in 1947, he studied Bengali language and literature and topped the list of successful candidates both in his Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and Master of Arts examinations from the University of Calcutta, with a First Class in the latter. He taught at Bangabasi College, Kolkata, and Jadavpur University, Kolkata, rising to Professor, and later served as Vice-Chancellor of Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata (1990–1997). A Fulbright scholar, he earned an MA and PhD in linguistics from the University of Chicago and taught in the United States. Deeply involved in theatre as an actor and critic, he has also authored 86 books and edited over 100, with a special love for children’s literature. His numerous honours include the Vidyasagar Award, the Indira Gandhi Award, and Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun. Still active, he continues teaching, writing, and travelling widely.