Shil, Ramesh (1877-1967) a kaviyal (a bard improvisator), was born in the village of Gomadandi in chittagong. A tribe of bards, called kaviyals, who improvised songs in poetic contests evolved in Calcutta and its outskirts in the eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries. Ramesh Shil, mukundadas of Barisal and Sheikh Gumani of Murshidabad followed those pioneers in the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries. They were all born poets and could improvise verse and hurl strophes and antistrophes at each other in contests.

Ramesh's fame soon transcended his region and became known to all throughout the country. But he shot to fame by defeating Sheikh Gumani in a song contest arranged by the Nikhil Banga Pragatishil Lekhak O Shilpi Sammelan (All Bengal Progressive Writers and Artistes' Convention) in Calcutta in 1945.

Although the subject matter of such poetic contests were traditionally taken from the Puranas, Ramesh Shil also made songs on contemporary events, and social, political and financial problems his subjects. He composed songs on events such as the Non-cooperation and the Khilafat movements, the looting of the Chittagong armoury, self-sacrifice of surya sen, famine, partition, refugee problems, language movement, social injustice, corruption, exploitation etc that he had himself witnessed. He tried to arouse people with his songs and attempted to stir them against these social and political ills.

Before him, kavigan was seen only as a means of entertainment, but Ramesh Shil made it an instrument with which to transform society. In 1954, he was arrested for his political activism. In 1962, the government discontinued the monthly stipend he had been granted by it earlier. He played a great role in replacing the frivolity and vulgarity of kavigan with serious and sophisticated themes.

Another of his claim to fame is the composition of Maizbhandari songs, and the way he made them popular through performing them. He wrote many songs praising the Maizbhandari order and its proponent Syed Ahmadullah (1826-1906) of Chittagong. He composed about 350 such songs. Over time, these songs had been published in nine volumes titled Ashekmala, Shantibhandar, Muktir Darbar, Nure Duniya, Jibansathi, Satyadarpan, Bhandare Maula, Manab Bandhu and Eshke Sirajia.

Syed Gholamur Rahman (1865-1937), the incumbent pir of Maizbhandari, was his contemporary. Ramesh Shil was inducted into this order and inspired by it, he wrote these songs. He was denounced for this and was even ostracised by his own people. After his death he was buried, instead of being cremated. Ramesh Shil was patriotic, secular and a man of liberal bent. 'All religions, be they hinduism, islam, christianity or buddhism, have the same set of principles' and 'Forsake the worship of clay, and start worshipping man' were two of his most courageous assertions.

The songs of Ramesh Shil have been published on gramophone records. His songs chalre man tvarai jai, bilamber ar samay nai/ gausul azam maizbhandari skul khuleche ('Let's move quickly, no time to lose', and 'Gausul Azam Maizbhandari has opened a school') became instant hits. His son Jajneshwar Shil followed in his father's footsteps. He also has had able disciples like Phani Barua, Rai Gopal Das etc. The bangla academy has published all his works recently. The bulbul lalitakala academy honoured him as the 'greatest bard' (1962). [Wakil Ahmed]