He loved football, fish and freedom of speech. Congress leader from West Bengal Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi also loved his ebbing life to which he clung onto for the last nine years even if it was like holding it by thread. Dasmunsi, or dada, as he was popularly known in sports and political field, passed away on Monday, at the age of 72,
after remaining in coma since 2008. He is survived by wife Deepa Dasmunsi and son Priyadeep Dasmunsi.
Though death always looked imminent for Dasmunsi his near ones hoped against hope that someday dada would sit up and seek his favourite “maach fry” once again.
Several Bengal politicians owe their rise to him. Mamata Banerjee was a “dear friend” and remained so till his last even after breaking away from the Congress and forming the Trinamool Congress party. Politics never came between them and they remained good friends.
“I am deeply saddened by the death of Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi. It is a great loss. May his soul rest in peace,” Mamata tweeted on Monday. She declared that Dasmunsi’s body will be brought to Kolkata and the West Bengal Government will accord full State honours to his funeral. She has also announced a half-day holiday for the State Government employees as a mark of respect for Dasmunsi.
Subrata Mukherjee, one of the senior Ministers in Mamata’s Government, and another close friend of Dasmunsi, said, “He was my friend, philosopher and guide. In political or personal matters, I used to seek his guidance on almost everything. I feel like I have become fatherless once again.” There are several more like him mourning the death of this popular Bengal leader. He has friends in the BJP too, particularly former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and lK Advani. Even the NDA Government led by Narendra Modi did not deny him treatment and continued to pay for Dasmunsi’s treatment.
“Shri Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi was a popular leader with rich political and administrative experience. He did notable work to popularise football in India. Saddened by his demise. My thoughts are with Deepa Dasmunsiji and family as well as his supporters,” Modi tweeted.
Dasmunsi was a prominent name in the West Bengal politics. He came to the lok Sabha from South Calcutta in 1971. Prior to that he was the president of the Youth Congress in West Bengal. In the following years, Dasmunsi went on to become the Union Minister of State for Commerce in 1985, and later the Parliamentary Affairs and Information Broadcasting Minister in the Manmohan Singh-led UPA-I Government. It was during this time when he suffered the stroke.
In her condolence message, Congress president Sonia Gandhi described Dasmunsi as a devout political activist and one of the tallest leaders of Bengal.
Terming it as a personal loss, Sonia added that Das Munsi served the party and the Government illustriously. CPI(M) MP Mohammad Salim, who is now an MP from Raiganj, a seat from where Das Munsi was elected in 1994 and 2004, said people of the constituency still love Das Munsi.
Football, like several Bengalis, was in his blood. But unlike Bengalis he never showed his preference to either of the top teams East Bengal or Mohan Bagan. It was also partly because he had to survive in Bengal politics and partly because of his position as All India Football Federation chief.
Das Munsi brought professionalism to the sport that was slowly dying. During his tenure as AIFF president, Das Munshi laid the foundation of National Football league in 1996 and ensured it got due coverage on television too. Players in the NFl were flown through air in their “away” matches and lodged in good hotels. It was the NDA Government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee that Das Munshi decided to give telecast rights to Doordarshan to ensure live and wider coverage of the matches.
Years later when he went on to become Information & Broadcasting Minister, Das Munshi ensured sports, particularly football, got sufficient coverage from the national broadcaster. He was the president of the AIFF for 19 years, a post that was later filled by Praful Patel after dada suffered the stroke.
“He was easily accessible to players and coaches. In fact, he would call up players and coaches directly to understand their problems and sort out the issues,” said former footballer and now commentator Ghaus Mohammad. This strongman of Indian football was also appointed as the first Indian match commissioner in FIFA World Cup for the 2006 group stage match between Australia and Croatia.
It was this sportsman sprit in him that people hoped he will recover fast. But destiny had decided to show him first a yellow card in 2008 now a red card. Das Munsi has bowed out. His loss will be mourned for years to come.