Rakhalda’s ‘boys’ remember the guardian angel of their youth

Kolkata, January 4 For over five decades, Rakhalda’s canteen in Calcutta University’s College Street campus has been a laboratory of political and contemporary cerebration, churning out leaders and policy makers of the country in a steady stream — all under the watchful and guiding eye of one man: Rakhal Chandra Das.

After Rakhalda’s death on December 9 last year, the alumni of CU, and more importantly those who had kicked up a storm in the cuppa they had sipped in the canteen, met at the varsity’s conference hall in the Darbhanga building to share fond memories of the man. The memorial was organised by the Students’ Federation of India (SFI).

There were Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who was a regular to the canteen, Left veterans Biman Bose and Manab Mukherjee among others.

Bhattacharjee said, “He was a true humanitarian in every sense and all of us will forever be indebted to him.”

The canteen had set the tone for the students’ movement that had rocked College Street in the 60s and the 70s, though Rakhalda never treated any differently those who subscribed to diverse political thoughts, CPI(M) leader Biman Bose said. To Bose, Rakhalda was a guardian figure. He said, “I remember how he would indulge us with the fish fries and the fine tea that Rakhalda was going to serve exclusively at the University Senate meeting. All for free.” He added, “Often, he would send Priyo (Union minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi) on errands.” State Tourism Minister Manab Mukherjee described the man as an “institution in himself”.

However, some of Rakhalda’s favourite boys — Naxal leader Asim Chatterjee, popularly called “kaka”, and Union minister Dasmunsi — were missing from Friday’s session because the SFI had not sent out invitations to them. A tad disappointed, Chatterjee told The Indian Express: “I would have gone today if I had known. He took special care of the poor. After I was released from a long stint in jail, the first person I ran to was Rakhalda. I went to his home and he was very happy to see me.”

Rakhal Chandra Das joined the University in 1955 and stayed behind his favourite desk in the canteen till 2004 when age and illness took its toll. He died at 78. An employee in the canteen today, Kartik Chandra said, “He spent a lifetime helping others. He rarely thought of himself.” In tribute, the canteen served tea free on Friday.