Abhijit Sengupta studied MA in English Literature at Delhi University and taught English in two Delhi University colleges before he joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1972. He retired from the IAS in 2008 as Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. He was awarded the prestigious Pearson fellowship of the IDRC, Canada, in 1984–85 and received a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. He has served in many important positions in the Government of India and in the State Government of Karnataka. In 2014, Abhijit Sengupta was Chairman of the High Powered Committee of the Ministry of Culture to review the functioning of various cultural institutions. He has been a member of the Central Advisory Board on Culture and of the Governing Body of Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai. Sengupta retained a special interest in English literature over decades of government service. This book is the result of his love for what he feels is the most fascinating language in the world.
