Sankha Ghosh (sha~Nkha ghoshh) was born on February 6, 1932 at Chandpur, now in Bangladesh. He got his BA in Bengali from the Presidency College, Calcutta, in 1951 and his Master's from the Calcutta University in 1954. He taught at different colleges, starting with the Bangabasi College, Calcutta. After short stints at two other colleges, he taught at the City College, Calcutta from 1957 till 1965. Thereafter he joined the Jadavpur University from where he retired in 1992. In between, he had spent time at the Iowa Writer's Workshop, USA (1967-68), Delhi University, Indian Institute of Advanced Studies at Simla, Vishwabharati, and as Principal of the Rabindra-Bhavan at Shantiniketan.

A prolific writer, he has published some 60 volumes so far, including about 16 volumes of poetry. He is a leading literary critique, his books on Tagore and on poetics, rhymes, even spelling are as pleasing to read as they are appealing to the intellect. He has received many awards including Narsingh Das Puraskar (1977, for muurkha ba.Do, saamaajik naY), Akademi Award (1977, for baabarer praarthanaa), Rabindra-Puraskar (1989, for dhUm legechhe hR^it.hkamale), Akademi Award for translation (1999, for translation of raktakalyaaN). He has been conferred the title of Desikottam by Vishwabharati in 1999.