It is never easy to speak about a mentor who left too soon. But, the memories live on, and the lessons are never forgotten. Samragnee Bandyopadhyay, poet, scholar and screenplay writer, was a student of professor Samantak Das, popularly known as Samantak da or SD, from 2008-2013. Bandyopadhyay did her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from the comparative literature department of Jadavpur University, during which time she was under the tutelage of Das.
Bandyopadhay, who thinks the best way to describe Das would be to call him a “poetic professor”, pens a tribute:
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I was not really associated with Samantak da beyond the classroom. So, my memories are related to the comparative literature department, from the classroom or from departmental seminars.
I remember when I first enrolled for graduation, Samantak da, Aveek da (Majumdar), Suchorita di (Chattopadhyay) were very senior professors. We kept a slight distance as they walked by. Among everyone, the Samantak da stood apart – every human being has a different attitude, Samantakda had his own, which was very exclusive.
He used to move around the campus on a scooter, with many seniors sharing a rapport with him. This is my first recollection of him.
I think we were in second year, when we were being introduced to modernism, that Samantak da came to take our class.
Samantak da stood apart, Every human being has a different attitude, Samantakda had his own, which was very exclusive.
He had charisma. He had a different personality. People say Samantak da was easily approachable and friendly, but I always felt he maintained a balance. Within the classroom, he had a different persona.
Among the memories of being taught by him, he taught us Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, which was a very fascinating class. He introduced us to (Charles) Baudlaire. And, I think, because he was introducing us to modernism… it was very important that the person believed in that theory, in that thought himself. It gets reflected in his teaching. He was very clear that he believed in modernism. Modernism made a mark on his belief system and his being.
People say Samantak da was easily approachable and friendly, but I always felt he maintained a balance. Within the classroom, he had a different persona.
I also remember a programme marking 100 years of Buddhadeva Bose – the founder of the comparative literature department of JU. It was a three-day long event and many poets attended it. In one of the sessions, where Sunil Gangopadhyay attended as a guest, after I read my poem, Samantak da made it a point to call me and say ‘khub bhalo legeche lekha, pore kokhono tomar lekha shunbo’ (I liked your poem very much; will listen to your other works sometime). But I did not have many conversations with Samantak da beyond the classroom. I was a very shy student.
Later, when he became the HOD of the department, I remember him being very helpful. When I was doing M.Phil and P.hD in other departments, he was the pro-VC (pro-Vice Chancellor) and everyone had a very secure feeling. When someone very dependable gets higher administrative responsibility, there is always a reflection of it on the campus.
These memories of Samantak da are very close to me.
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