Viswasghatak  (Bengali, Dey's Publishing, Sanyal Narayan)

This Bengali novel is a mix of fact and fiction, based on a set of events surrounding the passing of vital information regarding the atom bomb by a Manhattan Project scientist to the U.S.S.R.

Summary Of The Book

Viswasghatak means traitor. This book is based on true events with a love story adding a fictional twist. The author has written this book examining the who, how, what, and why of the event.

After the Manhattan Project that developed the Atom Bomb, the U.S. was developing a nuclear arsenal. But the situation in the world was still tense. The real war was over, but the cold war between the Communist bloc led by U.S.S.R. and the free-market block led by the U.S. was slowly simmering.

In this scenario, a scientist associated with the Manhattan Project, was passing on information to the U.S.S.R. Who was he, and what were his motivations? How did he manage to successfully evade the ever watchful U.S. Intelligence?

Was the scientist just motivated by a personal agenda? Was he attracted by communist ideology? Or, was it a more broader perspective that he had in mind, when he passed on such sensitive information to the other side.

In the scenario of the developing cold war, each side was amassing weapons. If one side gained the upper hand, it could result in a deadly confrontation. If both sides were equally matched, they would each try to avoid a real war, as both sides could suffer terrible consequences.

Was this what motivated the traitor? Was he seeking a balance of power between the two major factions in the world so that neither side would want a war that could result in mass destruction?

It contains scientific information and formulas, but it is not a science-oriented book or even science fiction. It has a love story, and even as the investigators try to unmask the traitor, he is constantly trying to reveal himself.

This is an interesting exploration of the reasons for one of the biggest acts of treason in modern history.

About Narayan Sanyal

Narayan Sanyal was a well-known Bengali writer, and a civil engineer.

Other books by Sanyal are He Hansabalaka, Obak Prithibee, Tajer Swapno, Shat Ekshotti, and Abar Se Esechhe Firiya.

He wrote in a number of different genres ranging from detective fiction to science fiction and nostalgic novels. Many of his books were inspired by famous books by other great writers.

Narayan Sanyal was born in Calcutta in 1924. He had a science degree from the Calcutta University and a civil engineering degree from Bengal Engineering College. He joined the Public Works Department and later worked for the National Building Organization of the Ministry of Works and Housing, Eastern Region. He received many awards for his writing including the Rabindra Puraskar and Bankim Puraskar.