Satyajit Ray, lovingly called "Manik Da", is arguably one of the two most revered cultural icons of West Bengal, the other of course being Rabindranath Tagore. This comparison in itself is a measure of the greatness of the man. He stands as a giant among the who's who of Indian cinema, yet with a style so unique and individualistic that he cannot be considered a part of it alone. Indeed, with his influence on world cinema and the appreciation and recognition he won form his peers and admirers abroad, one has to take a worldwide perspective when talking of this multifaceted genius. Ray was not only a director but  also found an outlet for his creative genius in other methods such as writing and sketching.

    Satyajit Ray  was born into a family  prominent in Bengali arts and science for several generations. But it would not be wrong to say that he surpassed them with his own form of creativity, with even his son, a director in his own right,  not coming close to the heights Ray reached or the worlwide acclaim he garnered.  In western appreciation, Ray is compared to his European counterparts unlike any other peer in America or Asia, except for Kurosawa in Japan.

    So please join me, as I take you on a short tour of the life and work of this great Indian artist, my accolade to one who not only made his mark on the world cultural map but is also responsible for putting India firmly on it, something all Indians should be proud of.