Kamal Basu

Born to a progressive family, that included his grandfather, barrister Bhupendra Nath Bose, a former president of the Indian National Congress, he had studied economics at the Scottish Church College, and eventually earned a master's degree in political science from the University of Calcutta, where he subsequently studied law.[2][3] He had joined a solicitor firm BN Basu & Co after passing law.

At an early age, he joined the Communist Party of India and became a Member of Parliament for the Lok Sabha, from West Bengal's Diamond Harbour in the South 24 Parganas district in 1952.[1] In 1964, when CPI split up, he joined the Communist Party of India (Marxist). He was associated with the CPI(M) for over four decades.[2]

He became Calcutta's mayor in 1985. He was also actively associated with the establishment of Salt Lake Stadium, as a founder secretary of the society for sports and stadium.[2] He used to make on-the-spot supervisions during its construction.[3] He was also a patron of the Mohan Bagan club.[2]

During the Sino-Indian War of 1962, he fought a legal battle on behalf of his Communist Party of India comrades who had been detained by the Government of India, on suspected loyalties.[3]

He efforts were instrumental in saving the Shobhabazar Rajbari, often described as the native Town Hall, from destruction.[3]

He died in a private nursing home on 21 January 2013.[2]

• Debasis Bose, Kamal Kumar Basur Paribarik Prekshapat (in Bengali), Kolkata, 2010.