JU V-C highlights creative nation-building for sustaining pluralistic cultural tradition

Mukhopadhyay, a retired professor of S P Jain Institute of Management and Research, penned the memoir that spans over seven decades traversing through the socio-political, industrial and economic landscape of West Bengal and India since its partition in 1947.

Speaking at the book release function at the Asiatic Society here Saturday, Mukhopadhyay said he did not want to tell this story as a “successful person” or as an economist but as a young boy, who moved from East Bengal to West Bengal with humble beginnings in a refugee settlement.

“This is the untold story of the unflinching determination of the Partition’s Generation to move ahead. This is the story of their struggle for living, not just survival,” Mukhopadhyay has written in the preface to his book.

“Beyond parents you need somebody to help you in life and they are the teachers… I hear that Dr Das is gheraoed for more than two-three days… we could have never imagined we would gherao them (teachers),” Mukhopadhyay said.

Last month, Jadavpur university had made news after Union Minister Babul Supriyo faced massive protest from a section of students when he visited the institute to attend an event organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). Supriyo was allegedly heckled, thrashed and pushed by the protesting students who showed him black flags and shouted ‘go back’ slogans.

JU vice-chancellor Das had tried to intervene and had urged Supriyo to proceed and attend the event. The matter escalated after West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar reached the campus to rescue the Supriyo. The governor expressed concern over the matter and asked the state chief secretary to intervene immediately.

Dhankhar also asked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to look into the matter.