Paschimbanga Bangla Akademi

Paschimbanga Bangla Akademi (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ বাংলা আকাদেমি), popularly known as Bangla Akademi (Bengali: বাংলা আকাদেমি), is the official regulatory body of the Bengali language in West Bengal. Modeled after Bangla Academy of Bangladesh and France’s Académie française, the Bangla Akademi was founded on May 20, 1986 in Kolkata to act as the official authority of the language and is entrusted with the responsibility of reforming Bengali spelling and grammar, compiling dictionaries, encyclopedias and terminologies and promoting Bengali language and culture in West Bengal. Though the Akademi has no enforcement power over their rules and regulations, yet they are widely accepted by the Governments of West Bengal and Tripura as well as a considerable number of private publishing houses and institutions like the Oxford University Press and the Ramakrishna Mission.

The Akademi is housed in two separate buildings, one at Nandan-Rabindra Sadan Complex (also mentioned as Bangla Akademi-Rabindra Sadan or Nandan-Bangla Akademi Complex during the Akademi festivals and book fairs) in South Kolkata and the other at Rabindra-Okakura Bhaban, Bidhannagar (Salt Lake). Annadashankar Roy became the first President and Sanat Kumar Chattopadhyay the first secretary of the Akademi.

The Bangla Akademi has been successful in extending its activities and programs to different districts of West Bengal and even to other states in India. In Kolkata, the Bangla Akademi organises different programs in collaboration with such bodies like Bangiya Sahitya Parishad, Sahitya Akademi, Publishers and Book Sellers' Guild, Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, National Book Trust and also with different universities and cultural organizations.

Read more about Paschimbanga Bangla Akademi:  Members, Functions, Work of Paschimbanga Bangla Akademi, Festivals Conducted By Bangla Akademi