R. N. Dutta

R. N. Dutta, identified in his book as Rama Nath Dutt, was an educator in Calcutta and served as the late officiating head-master of the Metropolitan Institution, Bowbazar Branch. On the title page of Tales from the Hindu Dramatists (1912), he is also credited as the author of The Boy's Ramayana.

In the preface to Tales from the Hindu Dramatists, he explains that he wanted Indian students to have accessible reading based on the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the stories behind major Sanskrit dramas. He says he tried to tell these stories briefly and in simple, idiomatic English, suggesting that his books were written with students and general readers very much in mind.

That practical, welcoming approach is a big part of his appeal today. Rather than writing for specialists, he helped bring classical Hindu literature to newer readers in a form that felt clear, lively, and approachable.