Mukhopadhyay, Balaichand (1899-1979) poet, novelist, and short story writer, known by his pseudonym of 'Banaful', was born in the village of Maniharpur in Purnia district, Bihar on 19 July 1899, son of Satyanarayan Mukhopadhyay, a physician. His ancestral home was at Shiakhala in hughli.

Balaichand passed the Matriculation examination (1918) from Sahebganj High School in Purnia and ISc (1920) from Saint Columbus College, Hazaribagh. He studied medicine at calcutta medical college for six years but passed MB (1927) from Patna Medical College. Balaichand worked initially in a non-government laboratory before joining the Azimganj Hospital in Murshidabad as medical officer. He then moved to Bhagalpur where he practised medicine for forty years. In 1968 he started living in Kolkata.

Balaichand began writing poetry from adolescence. Among his books of poems are Banafuler Kavita (1929), Natun Banke (1940), Angarpani (1940), Karakamalesu (1949), and Banafuler Byanga Kavita (1958). He wrote in a variety of forms, including prose-poems, sonnet and haiku, etc His poems are inspired by nature, love and self-realisation. Balaichand also wrote stories, novels, plays, essays, and became famous for the variety of his fiction. Much of his writing is drawn from his experience as a physician. He wrote about more than fifty novels and six hundred short stories. His prominent novels include Trnakhanda (1935), Baitarani Tire (1936), Kichhuksan (1937), Dvairath (1937), Mrgaya (1940), Nirmok (1940), Jangam (3 Parts, 1943 & 1945), Agni (1946), Dana (3 Parts, 1948, 1950 and 1955 respectively), Sthavar (1051), Agnishvar (1959), Trivarna (1963), Prachchhana Mahima (1967), and Uday Asta (2 Parts, 1974). The trilogy, Dana, is a champu, composed in both prose and verse.

Balaichand's stories are generally very brief and may be called anugalpa (little stories). Nevertheless, they touch a deep chord in readers. He also wrote sketches, fantasies, satires, etc. His stories have been included in Banafuler Galpa (1936), Bindubisarga (1944), Adrshyaloke (1946), Anugamini (1958), Durbin (1961), Bahuvarna (1976) etc. Balaichand also wrote two biographical plays: Shrimadhusudan (1933) and Vidyasagar (1934). His other plays include Madhyabitta (1943), Dashbhan (1944), Bandhanmochan (1948), and Trinayan (1976).

In 1968 Balaichand became president of the Banga Sahitya Sammelan. In recognition of his contribution to literature he was awarded the Sharatsmriti Puruskar (1951), Rabindra Award (1962), and the Jagattarini Medal of Viswa-Bharati University (1967). He was awarded the DLitt (1973) by Jadavpur University and the Padmabhusan (1975) by the government of India. He died in Kolkata on 9 February 1979. [Begum Akter Kamal]