Littérateur and Economist

The passing away of Ashok Mitra at the age of 90 rekindles many memories. A first-class littérateur and an economist by profession, his presence caused serious discomfiture to the left government in West Bengal.

Elected as a member of the legislative assembly from the Rashbehari constituency in 1977, Mitra became the state finance minister. He fought as an independent candidate backed by the Communist Party of India (Marxist)—CPI(M). In 1982, he lost the election and had to wait for a few years, before returning to power from the Jadavpur seat. He was once again alloted the finance portfolio.