The Ullaskar Trilogy · Book One
Revolutionary
Road
A Bomb Maker’s Search for
Love and Freedom
Before the prison cells, there were songs, arguments, laughter—and Leela. Ullaskar Dutta wanted freedom for his country and a life with the woman he loved. This novel follows what happened to both dreams.
Forthcoming from Om Books International.
The confirmed publication date and purchase links will be added here.
Praise for Revolutionary Road
“The story of Ullaskar Dutta is extraordinary but sadly forgotten. I am pleased that Debarati has taken it upon herself to bring alive the personality and times of this unsung hero.”
Sanjeev Sanyal
Sanjeev Sanyal is an economist, historian and bestselling author, and a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India. His books include Revolutionaries, Land of the Seven Rivers and The Ocean of Churn.
Inside the novel
Bengal, 1905.
A generation
at a crossroads.
Who remembers the life a revolutionary hoped to live?
The partition of Bengal has divided communities and stirred a generation into action. Among the young people drawn into the revolutionary movement is Ullaskar Dutta: brilliant, impulsive, funny, and prepared to risk his future for his country.
There is also Leela. Their attachment grows through books, arguments and the hope of a life together. But political commitment has consequences that reach far beyond the meeting room. Arrest, imprisonment and separation enter the space where a shared future might have been.
Revolutionary Road moves between the young revolutionary’s world and his later years in Silchar. Alongside public upheaval are letters, friendships, household quarrels and small acts of care. Ullaskar’s laughter belongs here as much as his defiance.
This historical novel opens The Ullaskar Trilogy, bringing an overlooked life into view through the people who lived it.
From the author
I could not leave him as a passing reference.
I came across Ullaskar while researching the forgotten women prisoners of the Cellular Jail. The more I read, the harder it became to leave him as a passing reference. There was the revolutionary, certainly. There was also the man who sang, made people laugh, asked uncomfortable questions and loved Leela.
My research took me to Silchar and to people who remembered them. I wanted the novel to have room for the life around the familiar label: the conversations, the ordinary work, the humour, the tenderness.
Revolutionary Road is my first novel originally written in English. It begins a trilogy I have wanted to write with the patience Ullaskar’s story deserves.
The book at a glance
One life.
A trilogy.
The first volume of a larger literary portrait of Ullaskar Dutta.
| Title | Revolutionary Road |
|---|---|
| Subtitle | A Bomb Maker’s Search for Love and Freedom |
| Author | Debarati Mukhopadhyay |
| Series | The Ullaskar Trilogy · Book 1 |
| Publisher | Om Books International |
| Genre | Historical fiction |
| Language | English |
| ISBN | 978-93-6395-244-7 |
About the author
Debarati Mukhopadhyay
Across more than thirty books in Bengali and English, Debarati Mukhopadhyay has returned to forgotten histories, the lives of women, and the choices people make under pressure. Her novels include Narach, Shikhandi and Hariye Jaoa Khunira; her writing moves between historical fiction, crime, mythology and social questions.
Her books have sold more than a million copies. Published by houses including HarperCollins and Rupa, her work has also reached audiences through screen adaptations, Sunday Suspense and Storytel.
A recipient of the Indian Express Devi Award (2022) and Shailajananda Puraskar (2024), she combines her writing with service as a government officer. She is a TEDx speaker, the founder of Footnote Zero, which explores overlooked chapters of history, and the creator of UPRĀNA.
Several of her works have appeared in English translation. Revolutionary Road is her first novel originally written in English—a new chapter in a literary journey already shared with a wide Bengali readership.
Read the author’s biography →For readers
Before you begin
Do I need to know Ullaskar’s history first?
You can enter through the people: their reading, humour, affection and disagreements. The larger political world unfolds through their lives.
Is this a biography or a novel?
It is a historical novel. Research informs the setting and historical context; private conversations and inner experiences are reconstructed.
Is it part of a series?
Yes. Revolutionary Road is Book 1 of The Ullaskar Trilogy.
Where can I buy the book?
The publication date and retailer links will be added to this page once confirmed. For current availability enquiries, please use the author’s contact page.
Reviewers · Book clubs · Literary festivals
Let’s talk about the book.
For interviews, event invitations, book-club discussions or review-copy enquiries, contact Debarati. Review-copy availability will be checked with the publisher.
Contact the author