Mahanirban Calcutta Research group

Obituary Debashis Aich (1961-2024)
 

Eminent journalist Debashish Aich passed away on 21 June 2024. He was also an outspoken author of many books and an editor of repute. Among his works, Mayabandarer Roopkatha and Bhaat de Haramjada are the two most notable publications. He was the recipient of the Pradip Kumar Bose Memorial Award, 2022 awarded by the Calcutta Research Group. He was a Media Fellow with the Calcutta Research Group in 2020 and his research paper titled "Pandemic Induced Return of Migrant Workers: Response of the State Government (West Bengal)" in Policies and Practices. Debashish Aich was a trailblazer in his own right. He did not associate himself with corporate media houses for ethical reasons. A strong supporter of independent journalism, he never hesitated in taking anti-establishmentarian stances when the need arose. Calcutta Research Group deeply mourns the demise of Debashish Aich whose ideas and long association have enriched the institute. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of the deceased..... Read More

Obituary Pradip Kumar Bose (1946-2021)
 

We, Members and the Staff of CRG, deeply mourn the demise of Professor Pradip Kumar Bose, a renowned sociologist, a founding member and a former President of the Calcutta Research Group, who passed away on 29 May 2021 at the age of 75. Beginning as a student of Physics, he moved on to the field of social sciences. Pradip obtained his PhD degree from the School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) for his work entitled "Agrarian Structure, Peasant Society and Social Change: A Study of Selected Regions in West Bengal".... Read More

Obituary Ilina Sen (1951-2020)
 

Professor Ilina Sen was a scholar and teacher as well as a social activist of great commitment. She spent her early years organising mine workers. I first heard her speak (possibly in 1998), when she gave us a spine-chilling talk on the difficulties of getting together women mine workers in trade unions. The challenges of corporatisation and organised crime in Chhattisgarh, where she worked, were a salutary reminder of the persisting dangers of working-class politics..... Read More

Obituary Anisuzzaman (1937-2020)
 

Professor Anisuzzaman, a great scholar, a noble soul, dedicated to the liberation movement of Bangladesh, ensuring the dignity of Bengali language and culture, and uplifting the human values throughout his life, has been an eternal well-wisher and integral part of Calcutta Research Group (CRG). He was also an honourable member of the international advisory board of CRG. All the members and staff of CRG will cherish their fond memories and interactions with their 'Anisda'. We shall miss him. CRG extends its condolences to all his family members and near and dear ones.... Read More

Obituary Hari S. Vasudevan(1952-2020)
 

Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group (CRG) deeply mourns the untimely death of Prof Hari S. Vasudevan and puts on record his rich scholarly contribution to the discipline of History and Soviet/Russian Studies. He served as an expert member of many consultative committees of the Government of India and chaired the textbook development committee of the NCERT for some time. He participated in CRG discussions on several occasions and was our true well wisher. CRG expresses its deepest condolences to the members of his family at this hour of crisis.

Obituary I. A. Rahman (1930-2021)
 

One of the tallest human rights defenders of South Asia Ibn Abdur Rahman or I. A. Rahman as he was called is no more. He died on the 12th of April, 2021 at his Lahore residence at the age of 90. Born in Haryana and studied at Aligarh Muslim University in colonial India, he moved with his family to Pakistan on the eve of violence during the Partition. He was a journalist. He became the editor-in-chief of The Pakistan Times in 1989. As a prolific writer in both Urdu and English, he was associated with several newspapers in Pakistan. He was one of the top columnists in The Dawn till his death.... Read More

Obituary Gil Loescher (1945-2020)
 

Professor Gil Loescher (1945-2020) was a long-established expert on international refugee policy. For over 25 years, he was attached to several well-known institutions - Princeton University, London School of Economics, Oxford University, University of Notre Dame (United States); and was a visiting fellow at and the Department of Humanitarian Affairs at the US State Department in Washington DC.... Read More

Obituary Sadako Ogata (1927-2019)
 

Sadako Ogata was the only Japanese and first woman to run the UN Refugee Agency, which she did with a determination and vision that greatly expanded the concept of International relief. She is best known for the decade, from early 1991 to late 2000, that she served as UN High Commissioner at a time of great global conflict, from Africa and south-east Asia to the Balkans, when those fleeing strife were most in need of help.... Read More

Obituary Sabyasachi Bhattacharya (1938-2019)
 

Sabyasachi Bhattacharya, a leading historian of modern India passed away on 7 January 2018. He was 81 and suffering from cancer for over a year. He is survived by his wife and daughter. He was a versatile historian who contributed to wide ranging themes from modern Indian history. His initial works were on aspects of economic and financial history of the British Raj. His renowned book on financial history Financial Foundations Of the British Raj: Ideas And Interests In The Reconstruction Of Indian Public Finance (1858-1872) came out in 1971. Some of his other important contributions are The Colonial State: Theory and Practice (2016); Talking Back: the Idea of Civilization in the Indian Nationalist Discourse (Oxford University Press, Delhi, 2011); The Defining Moments in Bengal 1920-1947 (Oxford University Press, Delhi, 2014)..... Read More