Former union minister P.C. Chunder dead

By IANS

Kolkata : Eminent academician, Congress leader and former union education minister Pratap Chandra Chunder died in a city hospital Tuesday afternoon. He was 88.


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Chunder was ailing for sometime. He is survived by wife Leena Chunder, four sons and grandchildren. Chunder served as education and social welfare minister in the Morarji Desai ministry between 1977 and 1979.

A family member said the body of the veteran politician and educationist will be brought to his central Kolkata home. His last rites will be performed Wednesday.

Born in 1919, Chunder studied history and law at the University of Calcutta.He topped B.A. (History Honours), M.A. (Ancient Indian History and Culture) and the LLB examinations of the University of Calcutta.

He was awarded D. Phil. in Arts. Chunder was an attorney-at-law in the Calcutta High Court and an advocate of the Supreme Court. He was member of Senate and the faculty of law of the Calcutta University between 1961 and 1968.

Chunder was executive council member of the Rabindra Bharati University (RBU) and also the chairperson of the West Bengal State Heritage Commission till his death.

As the president of the West Bengal Congress and member of the Congress Working Committee and the parliamentary board, he was active in public affairs.

“He was a great visionary with strong leadership qualities. We have learnt so many things from him in politics. His death is a great loss to Indian politics and educational scenario,” West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee working president Pradip Bhattacharya told IANS.

Chunder was also West Bengal’s finance and judicial minister in the late 1960s.

He has authored a number of historical novels and dramas.

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