Rich Dad Poor Dad

Rich Dad Poor Dad, available here in Bengali translation, is one of the most-read personal finance books of the past three decades. Robert T. Kiyosaki’s premise is straightforward: he had two father figures growing up — his biological father, an educated and salaried civil servant (poor dad), and his best friend’s father, a businessman with limited formal education (rich dad) — and the two men gave him very different lessons about money.

The book argues that traditional schooling rarely teaches financial literacy, that earning a high salary is not the same as building wealth, and that the basic distinction most people miss is between assets (which put money in your pocket) and liabilities (which take it out). Kiyosaki returns to that distinction repeatedly, with examples drawn from real estate, small business, and the stock market.

The book has had its share of critics, and some of its specific advice is dated. But its core message — that thinking about money is a learned skill, and most people never learn it — has clearly struck a chord with millions of readers, including a large Bengali audience for whom this translation is now a starting point.