The Many Hats Worn By The Talented Pritish Nandy

MUMBAI, (ANI)  – Pritish Nandy who passed away on January 8, at age 73, was an influential Indian poet, painter, journalist, parliamentarian, media personality, animal rights activist, and film and television producer. He was the author of forty poetry books in English, as well as translations from Bengali, Urdu, and Punjabi. He also translated the Isha Upanishad into English and penned several books of stories, nonfiction, and classical love poetry translations from Sanskrit.

Nandy was a key figure in Indian media, having served as the Publishing Director of The Times of India Group and editor of The Illustrated Weekly of India, The Independent, and Filmfare during the 1980s. He held six exhibitions of his paintings and calligraphy. In 1993, he founded Pritish Nandy Communications (PNC), a media company that became known for producing compelling films, TV shows, and streaming content. Additionally, Nandy was the founder of People for Animals, India’s first animal rights NGO, which is now chaired by his co-founder, Maneka Gandhi.

Born in Bihar, to a Bengali family, Nandy self-identified as an agnostic. He was the brother of renowned sociologist Ashis Nandy. Nandy attended La Martiniere College and briefly studied at Presidency College in Kolkata before relocating to Mumbai.

Nandy’s literary career began early, with his first poetry book Of Gods and Olives published in 1967. He went on to publish numerous volumes of poetry and edit the influential poetry magazine Dialogue, which became a leading platform for contemporary Indian poets in English and other languages. His contributions to modern Indian literature earned him the Padma Shri in 1977. Nandy’s poem Calcutta If You Must Exile Me is considered a pioneering work in Indian poetry. He later published Again (2010) and Stuck on 1/Forty (2012), along with his own translation of the Isha Upanishad in 2014. His collected poems are being published by Seagull Books.

Journalism and Media Career

In his media career, Nandy served as the Publishing Director of The Times of India from 1982 to 1991. He was also the editor and publisher of The Illustrated Weekly of India and Filmfare. In 1993, he left the Times Group to establish Pritish Nandy Communications, which became a key player in Indian television and film production. Nandy was one of India’s first internet pioneers, opening the country’s first cyber café in 1996.

He produced over 24 films, earning critical acclaim and numerous awards. His company also pioneered the multiplex film genre in India. Notable productions include the Emmy-nominated series Four More Shots Please! for Amazon Prime, which became one of the platform’s most-watched shows from India. His latest project, Modern Love Mumbai, was met with critical success and record-breaking viewership.

Politics

Pritish Nandy served in the Rajya Sabha from 1998, elected as a Shiv Sena member. His parliamentary tenure saw him participate in various committees, including those for Defence, Communications, and Foreign Affairs. Nandy also headed an expert committee to upgrade the International Film Festival of India, submitting its findings in 2011.

Nandy was deeply involved in animal rights activism. He founded People for Animals, India’s largest NGO dedicated to animal protection, which is now headed by Maneka Gandhi. In 2012, Nandy was awarded the International Humanitarian Award at the Genesis Awards in Los Angeles for his contributions to animal rights.

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