Umaprasad Mukhopadhyay (Bengali: উমাপ্রসাদ মুখোপাধ্যায়; October 12, 1902 - October 12, 1997), was a prominent Indian Bengali writer, whose main field of travel was one of the genres of Bengali literature, travel stories. In 1971, he won the Sahitya Akademi Award for his travelogue Manimahesh.

Umaprasad was born in English on 12th October 1902 (Bengali: 26th Ashwin in 1309) on the day of Vijayadashami; In the famous Mukherjee family on Rasa Road in Bhabanipur area of ​​Calcutta. His father was Ashutosh Mukherjee, the renowned scholar of Bengal and his mother was Jogmaya Devi. He was the third of seven children of Ashutosh and Jogmaya. Born on the day of Vijayadashami, his nickname was Biju.Mother Jogmaya Devi was a very beautiful and elegant progressive woman, whose influence inevitably fell on all the children. Umaprasad looked very handsome in his childhood, his health was not good; He contracted typhoid at the age of five. From his childhood, the writer was a talented, introverted, animal lover and compassionate man. Details of his childhood can be found in his essay "My Childhood".

At the age of seven, he started his traditional education at Bhabanipur Mitra Institution. In 1919, Umaprasad passed the entrance examination with the second highest marks in the first division. Then in 1921 he got first place in IA examination from Presidency College.He was awarded the Bankimchandra Silver Medal and Dwijendralal Roy Scholarship and Prize for Excellence in Bengali Writing, Duff Scholarship for Good Numbers in Language and Maths, Saradaprasad Award for English and Mathematics and Stephen Bean Medal for being first in the examination . Then he passed his BA with Honours in English from the same college in 1923, securing first place in the first division. Then in 1925, he passed his M.A. from Calcutta University, securing second place in the first division in the subject "Ancient Indian History and Culture". Then he started studying law and in 1928, he completed his LLB.

Umaprasad was particularly fond of literature and culture. On his initiative ' Saratchandra's Pather Dabi" "was published continuously in the' Bangabani 'magazine published from their home. (2nd year Falgun 1329 to 5th year Baishakh 1333 BS) He also published the book in book form (1333 BS) from their residence 6, Rasa Road (now Ashutosh Mukherjee Road). The government banned the book.Later, when the ban was lifted, he published the second edition (1346 b) and the third edition (1354 b). On the cover of that edition and inside, two pictures were drawn by Artist Nandalal Basu. He was Saratchandra's favorite and trusted person. Not only that, he was the 'treasurer' of autumn essays, his papers, manuscripts and even the keeper of the will. After Saratchandra's death, there was a lot of controversy over her will - especially the declaration that Hirinmayi Devi was not Saratchandra's wife.Although his name is written as wife in the will. Umaprasad protested against this and proved that Saratchandra had recognized the Goddess Hirunmayi. All the books written by Umaprasad in simple language on his own subject as a traveler have become prominent literature. There are many books written about the Himalayas and mountain ranges of India.

List of Published Books -

His other notable books are:

• 'Manimahesh'
• 'Dudhwa'
• 'Panchkedar'
• 'Kaleidoscope'
• 'Jalajatra'
• 'Kaberi Kahini'
• 'Vaishnodevi o other stories'
• 'On the shores of the Arabian Sea'
• 'Dui Diganto'
• 'Tapobhumi Mayawati'
• 'Kailas o Manas Sarovar'
• 'In the land of the Sherpas'
• 'Quarry Giripathe'
• 'Palamour er Jongole '
• 'Braman Omnibus' (5 volumes)
• 'Saratchandra Prasanga'
• 'Shyamaprasad's Diary and Mrityu Prasanga'
• 'Sir Ashutosher Dinlipi' (translation)

He received many awards/prizes during his lifetime including

• Bankimchandra Medal,
• Manackjee Rustomjee Memorial Scholarship and Medal.
• Tawney Memorial Prize
• Duff Scholarship,
• Stephen Finney Medal
• Dwijendralal Ray Scholarship *Saradaprasad Prize
• Jaynarayan Prize
• Nabinchndra Kundu Prize
• Nabakrishto Kar Medal

He honoured with the Sahitya Academy Award for his travelogue Manimahesh in 1971.

Umaprasad Mukhopadhyay passed away at his 95th birthday in 1997 in Calcutta, India.

Probodh Kumar Sanyal

• https://asutoshmemorial.org/uma-prasad-mukherjee/

• https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/39703/1/Unit-4.pdf