Former Bengal minister Satya Sadhan Chakraborty dead

Veteran CPI-M leader, ex-parliamentarian and former West Bengal Higher Education Minister Satya Sadhan Chakraborty died on Saturday at his residence here following a massive cardiac arrest, party source said. He was 85.

A widower, he is survived by his only daughter and son-in-law.

Born in 1933 at Harina vilalge of Comilla district (now in Bangladesh), Chakraborty completed his M.A. in Political Science from Calcutta University, and joined Vidyasagar College here as a lacturer. Subsequently, he became the general secretary of West Bengal College and University Teachers' Association and the All India Federation of University & College Teachers' Organisations.

Known for his speaking prowess, Chakraborty was elected to the Lok Sabha on a Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) ticket in 1980, but lost in 1984.

In 1991, Chakraborty was elected to the state legislature from Chakdah in Nadia district, and re-elected in 1996 and 2001.

He became the Higher Education Minister in Jyoti Basu led Left Front government in 1991, and retained the portfolio when Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee took over as Chief Minister in November 2000. He continued in the ministry till 2006.

An academician of repute, Chakraborty has penned a innumerable articles, and also wrote - jointly with Nemai Pramanik - an under-graduate level textbook on Indian political system.

Chakraborty's last rites would be performed on Sunday.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Left Front Chairman Biman Bose and state CPI-M Secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra have condoled his death.

--IANS

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