Dipanjan Rai Chaudhuri, born in Kolkata, read Physics at Presidency College in the turbulent late sixties and early seventies while immersing himself in philosophy, politics, and literature. Over the years, he alternated between physics and political activism, earning a PhD from London, spending a term in prison, teaching, and publishing research papers in physics. He also worked with the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights. This unique combination of pursuits led VS Naipaul to feature Dipanjan in one of his books, "India: A Million Mutinies Now." He has published two volumes of poetry in Bengali, several books on the political economy of West Bengal, and books on science for children. He wrote prolifically on current affairs, both in Bengali and English. He retired as Professor and Head of the Department of Physics at Presidency College in 2004. In his spare time, apart from writing, he was involved, along with his students, in the education of children in the slums of Kolkata.
