Satyajit Ray – “Dominus Omnium Magister. It Means God is the master of all things: B’day Special

By Line: Shivendra Pandey

Satyajit Ray ( Shottojit Rae (help·info); born on 2 May 1921 was an Indian filmmaker. He is regarded Screenwriter, Music Composer, Graphic Artist, Lyricist and Author, widely regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature.

Satyajit Ray was born to Sukumar and Suprabha Ray in Calcutta. Satyajit Ray’s ancestry can be traced back for at least ten generations. Ray’s grandfather, Upendrakishore Ray was a writer, illustrator, philosopher, publisher, amateur astronomer and a leader of the Brahmo Samaj, a religious and social movement in nineteenth century Bengal. He also set up a printing press by the name of U. Ray and Sons, which formed a crucial backdrop to Satyajit’s life. Sukumar Ray, Upendrakishore’s son and father of Satyajit, was a pioneering Bengali writer of nonsense rhyme (Abol tabol) and children’s literature, an illustrator and a critic.

He authored several short stories and novels, meant primarily for young children and teenagers. Feluda, the sleuth, and professor Shonku, the scientist in his science fiction stories, are popular fictional characters created by him. He was awarded an honorary degree by Oxford University.

Ray’s first film, Pather Panchali (1955), won eleven international prizes, including the inaugural Best Human Document award at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival. 

Ray received many major awards in his career, including 32 Indian National Film Award, a Golden Lion, a Golden Bear, 2 Silver Bears, a number of additional awards at international film festivals and award ceremonies, and an Academy Honorary Award in 1992. The Government of India honoured him with the Bharat Ratna, its highest civilian award, in 1992.