Haren Adhikari, a 24-year-old youth from Subhasgram in South 24-Parganas, who had been Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s attendant for the last four years, recalled the former chief minister as a “friendly” person, who like the other days took his favourite tea with honey on Thursday to start his day.

An hour later, he had a piece of mango and a mixture of gram powder and protein powder — his last meal.

Adhikari recounts the last few minutes of Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s life:

I did not see anything unusual this morning. He woke up around 7am, had his tea with honey and then I sponged him.

His medicines were to be taken after breakfast. Around an hour later, he had mango and a mixture of chhatu and protein powder. This is what he had been having at this time of the day — one seasonal fruit and the protein mix. Today was no exception.

Then, like on other days, I was about to give him his medicines when he became restless and started gasping. He did not ask for anything. He did not call any names. I called Madam and the doctors were alerted. He was put on BiPAP. Sometime later, doctors said he was no more.

Sir would not speak much. But when he would, he used to ask about me, my family, and how I liked my job. Sometimes he would pick up a friendly chat and he would ask everything in minute details. I never felt I was serving the former chief minister of the state. He was simple and easy to approach.

Once he said he wanted to have a South Indian dish. That was a few months ago. We got it arranged. He would sometimes ask for mishti doi or any sweet. Of late, only home-cooked food was allowed.

I was sent here by a centre in Subhasgram. But after I started working here, they never spoke of replacing me. Sir had been very nice to me and my colleague, Shambhu, who came on alternate days.

His passing away is like the passing away of a father figure.

The best memories I have of him is that child-like smile that would light up his face when his favourite egg roll or any food he had ordered, would arrive. After the pandemic, he started to be unwell. He rarely ate outside food.