Novelist Anurupa Debi was born on this day. Her paternal grandfather was scholar and educationist Bhudeb Mukhopadhyay. She was introduced early to literature at home, where she would listen to the Indian epics, parts of which she memorised. One of the earliest women who gained popularity as a novelist, she was inspired by her elder sister Surupa Debi into writing. The first story Anurupa Debi wrote, for which she used the pseudonym Rani Debi, was published in the Kuntalin literary prize volume. She became well-known with the publication of her novel Poshyaputra in Bharati. She was involved with social work organisations. Among her novels are Mantrashakti, Ma and Pather Sathi. Her writing questions society relentlessly. A lot of her fiction was turned into plays and films.