Kazuo Azuma

KAZUO AZUMA (1931-2011) A great man in his pride Confronting murderous men Casts derision upon Supersession of breath:
He knows death to the boneMan has created death. --W.B.Yeats
Eminent Tagore scholar and a great patron of Bengali literature, Professor Kazuo Azuma passed away on 28th July, this year, at a hospital in Japan. .An sms informed me about the sad fact .This 14th August would have been his 80th birth anniversary. Professor Azuma had been suffering from diseases for a long period of time. His demise turns out to be the end of an epoch in the history of Japans cultural relation with Bengal. As a child Professor Azuma received an English translation of Tagore's play' The Post office ', at that time he was a frail boy ,suffering from TB, there had been ceaseless carpet bombing on Tokyo by the American forces . In an interview given to The Telegraph he had recollected how, a reading of Tagores Postmaster enkindled his love for Tagores literature. He at once identified himself with Amal, the protagonist of Tagores play Postmaster. Since then it had been a long journey, of a bond of friendship with Bengal and Tagores abode of peace, Shantiniketan. Born on 14 August, 1931, Professor Azuma completed his Masters on Japanese language and literature and on Indian Philosophy from Tokyo University. He turned out to be a lifelong devotee of Tagore and his literature. He has taught Japanese language and literature at VisvaBharari from 1967 to 1971. Though he returned to Japan in 1971, he kept constant touch with intellectuals of both the Bengals and has paid several visit to Shantiniketan,allured by its pastoral beauty. Azumasan received laurels from both India and Bangladesh. He was conferred D.Lit by the Rabindra Bharati University in1986,Rabindracharya, by Tagore Research Institute, Kolkata in 1989, another second time D.Lit by LalBahadur Shastri National Vidyapith in 1994 and the Desikottama, by the VisvaBharati. Professor Azumas chief contribution lies in bringing out Japanese translated version of Tagores works. He had played a leading role in the publication of Tagores works in Japanese. The complete work of the bard consists of 12 volumes containing translated novels of Tagore like Gora, Charodhay, dramas like , Raja, Dakghar, Muktadhara, Raktakarabi, Natir Puja, Chandalika, Tasher Desh etc; also collection of poems like Gitanjali, Balaka, Sesh Lekha and many more . Professor Azuma did a mamothian task in the creation of Nippon Bhavan in Shantiniketan . In his short biographical sketch of Tsusho Byodo (1903-1993), published in his book Ujjal Surjo, the writer has recounted the history of the creation of Nippon Bhavan. It was Tagores desire to have a separate department at
VisvaBharati, devoted to the studies of Japanese. Tagore had requested Tsusho Byodo to take initiative for the said purpose. Azumasan after he returned to Japan in 1971, contacted Tsusho Byodo, and Bydo also took interest in this mission. Finally after crossing many hurdles in 1989, the Association for Establishing Nippon Bhaban was established, and Byodo became its President. Tsusho Byodo, came to Shantiniketan to lay the founding stone ,however he died a year before Nippon Bhaven was formally inaugurated by the then Vise President of India , K.R.Narayan in 1994 . Professor Azuma has also donated opulently and has played an important part in the creation of Bharat-Japan Cultural Centre, at Rabindra Okakura Bhavan in Kolkata.Professor Azuma was well connected with cultural activists of Bangladesh also. From Probir Bikas Sarkars Jana Ojana Japan, a book on Bengals association with Japan, we come to know that Azuma had also worked as an official interpreter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman , the first Prime Minister of Bangladesh . Professor Azuma was deeply shocked by his ruthless assassination. In Bangladesh, at the fag end of his life he took an initiative to set up a Banladesh-Japan Cultural Centre. However we do not know whether his dream has come true or not. Professor Azumas another contribution to Bengali literature lies in translating memoirs, diaries and also in bringing out sketches of Japanese nationals, who had been the makers of a mission, Shantiniketan and Sriniketan.His Shitoko Harir Dinopanji is a translation of the diary of ShitokoHari , the first international student inShantiniketan .His another significant work is KampoArai er Dinopanji , the diary of the eminent painter who came to Shantiniketan during Tagores time . His other two celebrated works Ujjol Surjo and Prosongo Rabindranath o Japan are significant attempt to capture a history, which otherwise would have passed into oblivion. A great man surpasses time through his work. It is a pity that, some of his books as, the Shitoko Haris Dinopanji, which was published from the VisvaBharati, have become out of print and are unavailable at present. We should take an initiative to preserve and reprint his works for our posterity. This, we can do to repay his unfathomable contribution to our society.

Kazuo Azuma

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Kazuo Azuma

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KAZUO AZUMA (1931-2011) A great man in his pride Confronting murderous men Casts derision upon Supersession of breath:

He knows death to the boneMan has created death. --W.B.Yeats

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