Somen Debnath, son of Rammohan Debnath and Shobharani Debnath, was born in Basanti village of Sundarbans in the Indian state of West Bengal. As the world’s largest delta, Sundarbans is widely recognized for its flooded mangrove forests and tiger reserve, located about 80km from Kolkata.
His upbringing, rooted in the values of a middle-class joint family, with entrepreneur father Rammohan Debnath and mother Shobharani Debnath, a dedicated house wife, was influenced by their guidance in his early life. He grew up with younger brother Pinku and later Sourav was born. From childhood Somen loved adventure. His passion is living life on his own terms, unlike others; he wants to achieve something unique that others can only aspire to. Questions about life’s philosophy and the mystery of death continually haunt him. Summer vacation was always special for him, as he loved visiting his grandfather’s house and spending quality time with his grandparents (father and motherside).
One day while flying a kite in the wide open field, he saw a plane passing overhead. He felt excited, ran after it, waved good bye until it disappeared over the horizon. After going a long way, he felt joyful & courageous. On his way back he passed many villages and met numerous strangers, who were quite curious about him, but it was the smile of the 8-9 year old that truly won their hearts and he also greeted them. Walking bare foot on the muddy road, breathing fresh air, watching the rising sun, inhaling the smell of nature brought him genuine happiness – the simple pleasure of life. A secret desire to explore the world was kindled in him from that moment. That day marked the beginning of his wanderlust.
