He was 89 and is survived by his wife, Leena Chunder, and four sons. He had been admitted to Apollo Gleneagles Hospital on December 25 with a cardiac problem and underwent angioplasty. However, family members said that his condition continued to deteriorate. He was put on dialysis thereafter and died around 12.30 pm today.

Chunder was born in 1919. He studied law and history in Calcutta University. He later joined politics and became the Minister for Education, Culture and Social Welfare in the Morarji Desai cabinet from 1977-1979. Earlier, he was the Finance Minister of West Bengal in 1968. He was also a member of the state Assembly from 1962-68.

Chunder was also involved with a number of education institutions, including the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management (IISWBM), the Asiatic Society, Indian Museum as well as the State Heritage Commission. He had authored a number of books, including Glimpses of Indian Culture: Ancient and Modern.

Speaker Hashim Abdul Halim, who was Chunder’s student, said, “I am shocked to hear of his demise. It is a great loss. Having studied under him, I was close to him and his family and this is a tragic moment for Bengal.”

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and CPM state secretary Biman Bose visited Chunder’s house to pay their last respects and offer condolences to the family. Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi visited the hospital to pay his last respects.

Gopalkrishna Gandhi and Buddhadev Bhattacharjee today deeply condoled the death of former Union Minister Pratap Chandra Chunder, describing him as a “scholar par excellence”. “His administrative skills and range of wisdom have earned him a special status in our private life,” the governor said in his condolence message.

The chief minister recalled Chunder’s contribution to public life and said that the renowned academician played a significant role by involving himself with different educational and cultural institutions.

“He headed the state Heritage Commission and will ever be remembered by the people of West Bengal,” he said.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said though Chunder was aged and not in good health for quite sometime, his death came as a shock. Mukherjee said he had the benefit of being associated with Chunder as his student in the University Law College and subsequently as a colleague in Parliament when he was union minister.

WBPCC Working President Pradip Bhattacharya described Chunder as a tall political personality.