Atish Chandra Sinha
Encyclopedia
Atish Chandra Sinha was a former minister and Leader of the Opposition in the India
n state
of West Bengal
. Physicist Bikash Sinha
is his cousin.
Raj family and a minister in the Bidhan Chandra Roy
cabinet, Atish Chandra Sinha was born in the Kandi Raj family on 11 July 1940. A brilliant scholar of Presidency College
, Kolkata, he specialized in Geophysics from the Imperial College
in London.
candidate from Kandi
in 1971, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1991, 1996 and 2001.. He was elected to the Indian Parliament from Baharampur (Lok Sabha constituency) in 1984.
He was minister of small scale and cottage industries from 1972 to1977. He was Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly
from 1996 to 2001 and was leader of the Congress legislative party in the West Bengal assembly from 2001 to 2006. As a result of differences with Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury
within the Congress Party, he joined Trinamool Congress
in 2008.
From 2002 onwards, he was ill off and on but did not give up active politics. He was involved in many social activities. He started the Bimal Chandra College of Law in Kandi in the memory of his father, Bimal Sinha. He died at his Kolkata residence on 4 March 2010. He is survived by his wife, daughter and son.
"A member of the Royal family of Kandi in West Bengal, he was a very active politician of the Congress party. He was a cabinet minister in the Government of West Bengal when Shree Siddhart Shankar Ray was the Chief Minister, Member of Parliament and leader of opposition in the State Assembly of West Bengal. He lived like a simple commoner without any ostentation and pride. As a tennis player, he played regularly at the club in spite of his busy political schedule. Being soft spoken, helpful, honest, friendly and forthright, he was admired by every one.
He has been an Executive Committee Member and Vice President of the club for several years. He had been on the Davis Cup Working Committees of the club. "
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. Physicist Bikash Sinha
Bikash Sinha
Bikash Sinha is an eminent Indian physicist, active in the fields of nuclear physics and high energy physics. Prof. Bikash Sinha was the director of the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics and Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre and the chairman of the Board of Governors of the National Institute of...
is his cousin.
Early life
The son of Bimal Chandra Sinha, scion of the KandiKandi
Kandi is a town, arrondissement and commune in the Alibori Department of eastern Benin. Originally a market town, Kandi is now primarily a farming centre. It lies on the nation's main north-south highway, 650 km from Cotonou and 325 miles north of Porto-Novo. The town is the capital of...
Raj family and a minister in the Bidhan Chandra Roy
Bidhan Chandra Roy
Bidhan Chandra Roy, M.R.C.P., F.R.C.S. was the second Chief Minister of West Bengal in India. He remained in his post for 14 years as a Indian National Congress candidate, from 1948 until his death in 1962. He was a highly respected physician and a renowned freedom fighter...
cabinet, Atish Chandra Sinha was born in the Kandi Raj family on 11 July 1940. A brilliant scholar of Presidency College
Presidency College, Kolkata
Presidency University, Kolkata, formerly Hindu College and Presidency College, is a unitary, state aided university, located in Kolkata, West Bengal. and one of the premier institutes of learning of liberal arts and sciences in India. In 2002 it was ranked number one by the weekly news magazine...
, Kolkata, he specialized in Geophysics from the Imperial College
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
in London.
In politics
He joined politics in the turbulent years of the 1960s. He was elected to the state assembly as a CongressIndian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
candidate from Kandi
Kandi (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Kandi is an assembly constituency in Murshidabad district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
in 1971, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1991, 1996 and 2001.. He was elected to the Indian Parliament from Baharampur (Lok Sabha constituency) in 1984.
He was minister of small scale and cottage industries from 1972 to1977. He was Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly
West Bengal Legislative Assembly
The West Bengal Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Indian state of West Bengal. It is housed in the B.B.D. Bagh area of Kolkata —the capital of the state. Members of the Legislative assembly are directly elected by the people...
from 1996 to 2001 and was leader of the Congress legislative party in the West Bengal assembly from 2001 to 2006. As a result of differences with Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is a member of the 15th Lok Sabha of India. He represents the Berhampore constituency of West Bengal and is a member of the Indian National Congress political party.-Political career:...
within the Congress Party, he joined Trinamool Congress
All India Trinamool Congress
The All India Trinamool Congress is a state political party in West Bengal. Founded in 1 January 1998, the party is led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Trinamool Congress is currently the second largest member of the ruling United Progressive Alliance coalition...
in 2008.
From 2002 onwards, he was ill off and on but did not give up active politics. He was involved in many social activities. He started the Bimal Chandra College of Law in Kandi in the memory of his father, Bimal Sinha. He died at his Kolkata residence on 4 March 2010. He is survived by his wife, daughter and son.
Other spheres
He was an active member of Calcutta South Club. The club's touching obituary reads"A member of the Royal family of Kandi in West Bengal, he was a very active politician of the Congress party. He was a cabinet minister in the Government of West Bengal when Shree Siddhart Shankar Ray was the Chief Minister, Member of Parliament and leader of opposition in the State Assembly of West Bengal. He lived like a simple commoner without any ostentation and pride. As a tennis player, he played regularly at the club in spite of his busy political schedule. Being soft spoken, helpful, honest, friendly and forthright, he was admired by every one.
He has been an Executive Committee Member and Vice President of the club for several years. He had been on the Davis Cup Working Committees of the club. "