Biplab Dasgupta


Biplab Dasgupta was a Marxian economist, former member of Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha and the Bengal state committee of the CPI(M). He was the author of several books on the agrarian economy of India.

Biography

Dr. Biplab Dasgupta received his MA in economics from the University of Calcutta. In 1967 he received the PhD of London University as a member of SOAS for the thesis "Oil prices and the Indian market, 1886-1964" where his supervisor was Edith Penrose. He also received an MSc degree in computer science from the University of London.
Dasgupta was a popular student leader of 1950s and became a member of CPI in 1955. He joined CPI(M) in 1964.
He was elected a member of the state committee in 1980. He became a central committee member of the CPI in 1985. A teacher at London and Sussex universities, Dasgupta acted as adviser to UN bodies including FAO, ILO, UNESCO, UNRISD and UNEP between 1972 and 1978. He was also the editor of Nandan Patrika, the cultural monthly of CPI(M). He was elected to Lok Sabha in 1989.

Death

Biplab Dasgupta died from Parkinson's disease at age 66.

Notable works

Books

He also wrote a number of books in Bengali on a variety of topics like his experiences as an administrator in CADC. His last book was a treatise the development of the Bengalis, their history, society, economics, culture and language.
He was also widely travelled and he regularly contributed about his experiences in forty countries and inside India in various Bengali periodicals like Pratikshan and Nandan. His experience in various parts of Africa is compelled in 'Africa Omnibus'.