The new Bengal tiger
People's minister
As the minister in charge of Bengal's information and cultural affairs department, Bhattacharya's influence was key in recovering a stolen manuscript of the legendary director Satyajit Ray and also for bringing the offenders to book.
However, his administration failed to trace Rabindranath Tagore's Nobel Prize medal , which was stolen from Santiniketan two years ago.
In 1997, when a devastating fire gutted the Kolkata Book Fair, Bhattacharya helped the fair organisers rebuild the Kolkata tradition, literally from the ashes.
His affection for the arts was evident when as home minister he organised a funeral with full state honours for the controversial poet Shakti Chattopadhyay.
Bhattacharya with Jyoti Basu, who he succeeded as chief minister in November 2000. Photograph: Kamal Sikder
Also See: Welcome to Kolkata Shining
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