West Bengal Democratic Writers Artists Association (Paschimbanga Ganatantrik Lekhak Shilpi Sangha) was born in the backdrop of semi-fascist terror in West Bengal during the early 70s of the last century. A large section of progressive and democratic minded cultural workers in West Bengal got together to protest against the attacks let loose by the then ruling party and government against civil liberties and democratic rights of common people of the state. On 24th January 1972, a convention was organized in Indian Association Hall in Kolkata from where “Santras Birodhi Lekhak- Shilpi-Kalakushali Sammelan” (Forum of Writers Artists and Technicians against Terror) was formed. This convention was presided over by eminent writer Baren Basu (B…… D…..) and addressed by Jyoti Basu, the then opposition leader and later Chief Minister of West Bengal. Nimai Ghosh and Kishalay Sen were the first two convenors of this organization.

This Assembly took a more permanent shape of an organization from a convention held on 17th February 1972 at Sarala Roy Memorial Hall. Name of the organization was changed to Democratic Writers Artists Technicians Forum (Ganatantrik Lekhak Shilpi Kalakushali Sammilani). A 71 member preparatory committee, with Bidyut Goswami and Kishalay Sen as Convenors and Manmatha Roy as President, was formed.

First conference of the new organization was held on 15th and 16th December 1973 at Futnani Hall in Kolkata. A presidium consisting of Nandagopal Sengupta, Narayan Chowdhury, Jyoti Bhattacharya, Tarapada Mukherjee, Rabindranath Bhattacharya, Bimal De, Shalekh Lucknowvi, Sudhi Pradhan, Manoranjan Baral, Sita Mukherjee and Timirbaran conducted the proceedings of the Conference.

Nandagopal Sengupta was elected as President and Ashu Sen and Kishalay Sen were elected as Joint Secretaries.

Kolkata District Committee of the organization was formed from a conference held on December 1977 at Baker Hall of Presidency College, Kolkata. Jyoti Bhattacharya was elected as President and Kalidas Rakshit and Arindam Chattopadhyay were elected as Joint Secretaries.

In 1985 the organization held a special convention and adopted a new constitution. The name of the organization was again changed to West Bengal Democratic Writers Artists Association (Paschimbanga Ganatantrik Lekhak Shilpi Sangha).