Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay, a noted writer of Bengali literature was born on 19th July 1899. He was the recipient of the third-highest civilian award Padma Bhushan.

Mukhopadhyay was born in Purnia district of Bihar, to Satyacharan Mukhopadhyay and Mrinali Devi. His father was a physician at the village. He attended Hazaribag College and then he took admission at Calcutta Medical College. When he was in the sixth year of his study he got himself transferred to the newly established Medical College at Patna. From there he obtained his MBBS degree in 1928.

Mukhopadhyay wrote under the pen name, Banaphul. He has composed thousands of poems, 586 short stories, 60 novels, 5 dramas, several one-act plays, an autobiography named Paschatpat and many essays. He received the Filmfare Best Writer Award for Arjun Pandit.

India Postal Department has issued a 300 Paise commemorative postage stamp on his Birth Centenary in 1999.

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