Papiya Ghosh
I was a Science Student, and did not know Dr. Papiya Ghosh personally. But I had heard a lot about her from my sister, who was her student and from my Aunts, who are Professors in Patna Women's College. I was deeply saddened by this horrifying news. It is heart breaking to read about Professors like her and other good and learned people meet such fate. I pray for her family and hope the killers are nabbed and severely punished. Anjali Prasad - Dec. 7, 2006
I have known Professor Dr Papiya Ghosh and her sister Mrs. TukTuk Ghosh IAS for the past 32 years ever since I joined the MA course in History at the University of Delhi way back in 1975. Papiya will always be remembered as an excellent and warm hearted person ever willing to help her colleagues. I was utterly shocked and traumatised at her brutal murder along with her live in maid, Malti Devi. I cannot imagine why anyone in the world would like to harm such a person as Papiya. She has earned a reputation for herself as a dedicated researcher in the field of Modern Indian History. Her students will miss a good teacher and the country has lost a leading historian.
The crime needs to be investigated and the criminals who perpetrated this ghastly act be brought to justice. From the Reports that have been published it appears that the police in Patna are treating this as a robbery and murder. However, all aspects need to be investigated and the academic community reassured that such crimes will not go unpunished.
My deepest condolence to Dr (Mrs) Tuk-Tuk Ghosh, her younger sister and the rest of the family.
Bahu Virupaksha, Pondicherry – Dec. 5, 2006
Today when I opened PatnaDaily after a lapse of sometime I never expected to see this - Oh my God – I am stunned and don’t have words for it – Ms Papiya Ghosh certainly did not deserve this –the Nitish Government must do something to find the culprits. It will be a shame if he fails in this task. Law and order in Bihar has gone to the gutters anyway refusing to bury its ugly head but Papiya Ghosh will be one of its casualties was unthinkable. Bihar being synonymous with anarchy has never seemed so true. Ms Ghosh’s integrity and reputation as a teacher of history was exemplary – I remember at a time when we were still being taught in traditional ways with yellowing age old notes, from books that were written in historical times limiting our ability to question, Ms Ghosh introduced us to the wider world teaching us to research in new ways, refer to new publications, query traditional views on Modern Indian History and most of all respond to them in an innovative manner. It was HER teaching of Modern Indian History – I still think that made me ready for greater challenges in Universities/world outside my comfort zone of Patna. "Simple living, high thinking" sounds so clichéd but in her case it was true in every sense. Oh, as students, how we idolised her for her intellect and how well she combined it with her simplicity - I admired her as one of the true intellectuals of modern Bihar. She was such a popular student of St Joseph's known for debating skills in the sane old days when Patna was the intellectual capital and not the crime capital. In my view, she was the history Teacher with a difference – for good reasons of course that we had in our College days. Her knowledge, the lectures, her impeccable English, her commitment to work and the humility with which she performed her task - cannot be praised enough. She was also a stickler for time – her three words as she entered the classroom dot on time “bolt the door” before she started the lectures is resounding in my mind. Even now, I would imitate her when I would ask others to close the doors behind them! She had excellent opportunities outside Bihar but she chose to stay there and she was one of those role models who had travelled and studied around the world but always came back to her place of birth. It is a travesty of justice that that the same place has let her down so badly. She was a good soul and will rest in peace but the killers who did this despicable act should never ever be allowed to go scot free by the Nitish Government – it is a challenge for him. Having some understanding of the crime scene there, one has to be a complete idiot to believe that it was a simple case of robbery. Ms Papiya Ghosh was one of the few shining lights in that decadent atmosphere of Bihar – Alas that light has gone so violently and so frivolously! Through PatnaDaily, her former student who would admired her immensely would like to convey her heartfelt condolences to Ms Ghosh’s friends, family and the academia of Patna University. Padmaja - Dec. 5, 2006
You'll remain close to our hearts, always, our Papiya Ma'am!! Murders or murderers, I believe, always had some motives, some enmity, some negative emotions towards the victim, but any of these with Papiya Ma'am? I cannot relate the person I knew as Papiya Ghosh and the tragedy that hit her. Extremely strict as a Professor who gave zero upon fifty to her History students in their tests but her warmth as a human being couldn't be missed out by those close to her. Packed with energy, clad in Khadi, excellent command over language and those roaring lectures... You'll remain close to our hearts, always, our Papiya Ma'am!! Aradhana Pradhan - Dec. 4, 2006
I never had a chance to meet Dr. Papiya Ghosh but as a student of Patna University from 72-74 doing intermediate from Patna College, I do not remember if she was senior to us or contemporary but her name as a student was famous among the history students. Later she joined teaching and commanded great respect among her students and colleagues. Those days during our times, Patna College respected the senior students or I would say the brilliant students and they were seen with very respectful eyes. I remember Papiya and her younger sister Tuktuk's names were famous not only among the students but also among the teachers who used to talk about their academic qualities in the class. It happens when you have not met someone but have developed regards for the person. Dr. Papiya Ghosh was one of them. My nephews and nieces who were her students idolised her and felt proud to be the students of Dr. Ghosh. My very humble homage to her and the family. May her soul rest in peace and give strength to the family and her students to bear this loss. Rajesh Srivastava, Student of Patna University '72-'74 - Dec. 4, 2006
GOODBYE, DR. GHOSH It seems like ages, when I try to remember my college days at Patna Women’s College. Two decades is a long time to remember much about everyone but today as I read about the murder of Dr Papiya Ghosh, all those memories started running back in my mind. Today I feel honored that I was a student of Dr Ghosh while completing my Graduation from Patna Women’s College in the year 1979-81. I was a new student in the College and I feel she had also joined the College recently. I still remember her walk on the corridors. We were charmed with her simplicity and the innovative way of teaching. Learning History was fun for us with her around. I still remember she was one of the Teachers who did not believe in giving notes but rather believed in increasing the interests of her students in the subject. Thus as I read about the gruesome murder of Dr Ghosh I also feel that we all have lost one of our most beloved Teachers. May God rest her soul in peace and give her family members strength to face this tragedy. I also wish that for once the Police Dept and the Bihar Govt should show enough responsibility to nab the criminals and punish them. Good bye, Dr Ghosh, I will never forget you. SEEMA JYOTISHI 4 DECEMBER 2006, PATNA DAILY.COM
Dr. KAVITA A. SHARMA PRINCIPAL Off. : 2766 7184 Phones: 2766 6718 Resi. : 2766 7028 Fax : 2766 7809 E-mail : hinducol@del3.vsnl.net.in www.hinducollege.org HINDU COLLEGE UNIVERSITY OF DELHI DELHI-110007 Dear Tuk-tuk, Dr. Papiya Ghosh who passed away recently under tragic circumstances was (along with her sister Tuttuk) a student of History from our College. She was a brilliant student and teacher, who chose not to work here but go back to her roots in Patna to teach in the Women's College. She later moved to the Department of History in the Patna University. She had published a large number of papers and obtained post-doctoral degree also. A condolence meeting was held in Hindu College on Monday the 4lh December, 2006. Dr. Papiya was a very warm and affectionate person as well as a excellent student and teacher. Her passing away is a loss to the teaching fraternity of India and to the Alumni fraternity of Hindu College. We convey our sincere and heartfelt condolence to the bereaved sister. May God give you the strength to bear with courage this great loss. Our prayers are with you. May her soul rest in peace. Yours sincerely, Sd/- (Dr. Kavita A. Sharma) Dr. Tuk-tuk Kumar nee Ghosh D-69, Saket, New Delhi-110017 Ph: - 26855328 26850062.
DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY PATNA UNIVERSITY Patna-800005 Tel.: 0612-2300320 CONDOLENCE RESOLUTION Department of History, Patna University, Patna This meeting of the Teachers, students and employees of the Post Graduate Department of History and Department of History, Patna College, Patna University expresses its deep shock and profound sense of sorrow over the ghastly killing of Professor Papiya Ghosh, a sincere teacher devoted academician and dedicated researcher in the night of 2nd December 2006. This meeting also resolves that the University should immediately take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of the Teachers, students and employees and impress upon the State Government the urgency of taking all required efforts to bring culprits to task. All of us present in this meeting pray to God and fervently wish that her soul may rest in peace and the members of the bereaved family find enough courage and strength to bear this great loss. It is further resolved that a copy of this condolence resolution be sent to Ms TukTuk Ghosh, I.A.S sister of Prof. Papiya Ghosh. Head of the Dept. of History Patna University Patna
A. P.J. Abdul Kalam Rashtrapati Bhavan New Delhi- 110004 3 January 2007 Dear Ms. Kumar, I would like to thank you for giving me the book "Partition and The South Asian Diaspora" written by Prof. Papiya Ghosh. I have found the book to be an in-depth study of real life cases of the people of Indian subcontinent who were affected by the partition and many of whom have now spread to other countries and continents. Prof. Ghosh has brought to bear the force of her intellect on this unique and interesting subject which would prove to be of great value to all those interested in the subject of the South Asian Diaspora. It is unfortunate that Prof. Ghosh is not with us to see the fruit of her efforts in writing this book. With regards, Yours sincerely, Sd/- (A. P. J. Abdul Kalam) Ms. Tuk Tuk Kumar Principal Secretary to the Hon'ble Speaker, Lok Sabha Lok Sabha Secretariat, Parliament House New Delhi-110 001
Jug Suraiya,
24 December 2006, Times Of India, New Delhi.
I was in two minds about writing this column. I still am. The thought of writing it first came to me when I read of the brutal murder of Papiya Ghosh, the noted academic and historian, in Patna. No, this is not a memorial to Papiya. I never met her, nor can I claim to be acquainted with her work. A tribute from me would be a presumption. However, I did have a connection over many years with Papiya and her sister, Tuktuk, who is now a senior civil service officer.
Papiya and Tuktuk were by far the most regular contributors to Kookie Kol — a sort of zany Letters to the Editor column — in the Junior Statesman (later renamed JS) magazine. It was said of JS that it helped to invent the Indian teenager. I don’t know about that but it did provide a platform for young people from all over the country to interact both with each other and with the JS staffers, who in most cases were not much older than their reader-correspondents. If 30 years after its closure JS is still so vividly recalled by the generation which grew up with — and partly through — it, it is because the magazine was not so much a publication as a participatory rite of passage.
People still talk about the ‘Love is’ posters that featured in JS, and the large serialised pin-ups, particularly those of the comic strip heroine Modesty Blaise and Zeenat Aman. And all JS readers-writers remember Papiya and Tuktuk who almost every week traded deft and daft witticisms with Kookie in his column. Much of the humour of Kookie Kol centred round the near-mythical PM (no, not Prime Minister but Prize Money) that the deliberately niggardly Kookie doled out only on the rarest occasion. The PM was only 25 rupees, not a large sum even in those far-off, pre-inflation days. Nonetheless, the PM became an avidly sought after Golden Fleece which, week after week, inspired intrepid expeditions into the realm of spoof and satire. And many of the more successful sallies were by Papiya and Tuktuk.
Of all the greater family JS, I was perhaps the most grateful for the persistence of the duo. For, while the bespectacled sketch that adorned the top of Kookie Kol was of my colleague Dubby Bhagat, the operative Kookie who handled the column was me (a piece of JS trivia revealed here for the first time) and without Papiya and Tuktuk’s energetic correspondence, I doubt if I’d have been able to sustain the slot. Before her life was so viciously cut short, Papiya went on to earn honours far more esteemable than Kookie’s paltry PM. But I, and perhaps a lot of others, will remember her at least partly for her long-ago weekly forays into a long-lost world of innocence and humour. And this is why I was in two minds about this column, still am. For it’s a column, as I’ve said, not so much about Papiya and the terrible end she met, as about the business of laughter and remembering. Is it an insensitive frivolity, a tasteless desecration, to counter the dread solemnity of death — particularly when untimely and violent — with the memory of mirth?
Mercifully, the mind can’t long harbour pain. Memory is a creative act of anaesthetic amnesia. Most of us tend to remember selectively, overlaying the traumas of the past with recollections of the good and the pleasant. There is an inevitable measure of guilt in this partial and necessary interment of memory. It helps to ask ourselves if, far from being a callous escape, laughter finally is the best remembrance. Our only chance of literally having the last laugh — or indeed perhaps the first as well — on our common mortality. Perhaps remembered laughter is the real Prize Money beyond any other. And come to think of it, maybe I’m not in two minds about this column any more.