Debesh Bhattacharya: The Man with the Never-Say-Die Attitude.

The other day, while trying to write about Bardi, Mrs.Tapati Bhatta, I had what in literary parlance is generally called, the writer’s block.  I was lost not knowing what to write about and how to go about it.  I had my serious doubt whether I was qualified enough to write about these people others hold close to their hearts and what gave me the idea of writing about them in the first place.  In a few words, I had serious doubts about my own abilities and the very purpose of writing.  Something at the back of my mind though, was urging me all the while not to give up.  I haven’t yet and you readers will wake up to the reality of letting me know in due course of time, if my efforts have been worthwhile.

Today I find myself in a thick soup once again, my mind clouded once more, being unsure how much I really know about my Barda, Debesh Bhattacharya and also due to my great fondness for him.  I wrote  a couple of years back to my Australian sis-in-law, Dr.Ellen McEwen:” I love Barda a lot because I can see beneath the rough and harsh exterior, a very good human being ……”  and it was no exaggeration.

Debesh Bhattacharya was born on 15^th March, 1941.  The eldest son of Jogesh Bhattacharyya, he was fearless and often found himself against heavy odds.  He was once said to have been awakened in the middle of his sound sleep by his furious father and beaten black and blue for apparently no fault of his.  But his determination coupled with his strong will power, has seen him through the worst of times and stood him in good stead.  When preparing for the I.A., he realized his weakness in Maths just after the trial, deported himself to his maternal grandpa’s house in Bhawanipore  and under the able tutelage of  Mejomama ( maternal uncle), who was a maths wizard of some sort, sharpened his wires so far as the troublesome subject was concerned. He secured letter marks (above 80%) in Maths in the Board Exam.  He went on to the Presidency College, Calcutta, to study for Honours in Economics and subsequently completed his Master’s from the University of Calcutta.  He is justifiably proud of the fact that he did not stay bekar, unemployed, even for a single day in his entire life.  He was offered a job before the M.A. result was out.

Having realized the financial doldrums his family was in, he left for foreign shores.  He must have been driven by his insatiable hunger for excelling at the highest level and his love for his motherland just added fuel to the fire.  In his sojourn for newer pastures, he did very well in the U.K., the U.S.A., New Zealand and Australia.  But what finally drew him to the last named country to settle down there, was Australia’s neutral attitude to racism in those days and my sis-in-law, Dr.Ellen McEwen.  I have heard him talking matter-of –factly so often about what ended his prolonged bachelorhood, with Baudi going back to Melbourne in a huff and puff and Barda coming to terms with the first pangs of true love, that it is like watching a Broadway Classic over and over again.  Baudi turned out to be the best thing in his life and they have stayed inseparable for god knows how long.

Inspite of his differences with baba over every subject under the sun, well almost, my late father was genuinely fond of barda.  Ma was no less, if not more. And both of them had reasons to be.  Barda might have taken some time to establish himself in the foreign land, but once he found a firm foothold, there was no stopping him discharging his filial and brotherly duties.  He assured the relatives time and again that they would not be burdened with any member of Jogesh Bhattachryya’s family, and do not you forget it was large, if baba could not recover from the aftermath of his 17-year-long-case against the state government, which he won.

If all the children of Lt.J.C.Bhattacharyya are well-settled today and have done creditably for themselves, then, besides the grace of The Almighty, it is due to the belief each one of them has had deep down over the years, that Barda will always be there for them. Along with mejdi, Mrs.Arati Guha, barda has always kept the family flag flying. His contributions to the family are so many that they are beyond the scope of anything of the size and stature of this article.  I personally feel that Lt.J.C.Bhattacharyya’s family is privileged to have such a distinguished and disinterested self-seeker. His greatness lies in the fact that his love for the family has not only been confined to the immediate family members, but also extended to and embraced anyone very remotely related to the family.

Even at 72, the hunk of a man that barda has been, he is fond of biriani, chicken kabab and rosgollas and, despite the doctor’s warning, does not let go of any opportunity of devouring them, whenever baudi is not around. He has been a fantastic ambassador of India and his life, a glimmer of hope for any young Indian trying to make it big anywhere in he world.

I cannot prove the authenticity of my claim and no offence meant to the great Indian batter, Sachin Tendulkar, but I am very sure that barda retired early ( he could have continued till quite late in his life as an Asst.Professor of Economics at the University of Sydney), in order to spend his last years watching the exploits and heroics of the master-blaster! He can never tire of  watching the maestro bat and have his fill. I guess, in some ways, barda identifies with Sachin, with the pent-up fury and frustration of the Indians being treated as second-class citizens, even post- independence, every time he found the master- class belting the opponents the only way he could.

And this is what has me worried lately.  It may be a matter of coincidence, but he fell seriously ill, on his return to Australia from India a few days after Sachin’s retirement was officially announced.  Now with Sachin gone, Life is bound to lose much of its frolic and fun. The only comfort is in knowing that he is in safer hands with his beloved wife of over 35 years and with both his daughters happily married, things are bound to brighten up and turn for the better.

Barda,Dr.Debesh Bhattacharya with his family.