Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee 1944-2024: On the streets, ‘he was a man with empathy and vision’

Describing Bhattacharjee as an “honest, well-read man, dedicated to his ideology,” Jadavpur University professor Santwan Chattopadhyay said, “Today, when criminalization, corruption are rampant, we can only look back at him with utmost respect.”

Written by Sweety Kumari

Kolkata | August 9, 2024 02:13 AM IST

2 min read

Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee

Former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is fondly remembered as a man of empathy, a visionary leader, and a dedicated ideologue by those who knew him or were inspired by him. People recalled him as one of the compassionate political leaders, who was connected to the masses.

Chandan Sen, retired superintending engineer with the PWD, shared an anecdote about the former CM. “I was posted as S.A.E- Protocol Officer, in Banga Bhawan, Delhi. Buddha babu had a flight to Kolkata at 9:40 am, and it was delayed. While he sat at the VIP lounge, I was busy making phone calls at home (there were no mobile phones, I was using landline at airport)… I told him my wife was in labour, when he asked, “why did I accompany him?,” Sen said. Sen replied “he was the only person with an airport access pass.”

“The flight departed at 12.45pm, and after landing, I went straight to the hospital. I was blessed with a baby girl… Next day, Buddha babu called me and I informed him about my daughter, when he said, “please convey my apologies to her”. A few days later, his wife, daughter visited us…That was Buddha babu for me,” he said.

For Ashok Jha, chief of Mithila Vikas Parishad, Bhattacharjee was a reformer for his party who pushed for industrialization. “He was the leader who wanted skilled labor to stay in the state. The Newtown project is a testament to his foresight,” IT engineer Rahul Chowdhury said.

Sandipan Banerjee, a freelancer said, “His tireless efforts towards industrialisation of Bengal will be forever remembered.” “Buddha babu, was a true people’s leader and a visionary CM who was ahead of his time,” he said.

Sweety Kumari

Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More

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