Kolkata, February 22 (IANS): Three-time Lok Sabha member and noted educationist Krishna Bose, widow of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose' nephew Sisir Bose, died at a private hospital here following a cardiac arrest on Saturday, family and hospital sources said.
Bose, 89, left behind two sons and a daughter.
On February 16, Bose was diagnosed with an irregular heart beat problem and hospitalised, but her condition worsened. She breathed her last at 10-22 a.m. on Saturday, the hospital said.
Born in Dacca (now capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka) on December 26, 1930, Bose became a Lok Sabha member in 1996 after she won from Jadavpur on a Congress ticket. Later, she was elected from the same constituency in 1998 and 1999 as a Trinamool Congress candidate.
Erudite and articulate, Bose made a mark in Parliament through her informative and insightful speeches and served between 1999 and 2004 as chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs which oversees the conduct of India's foreign policy.
One of her sons and Harvard University professor of history Sugata Bose was also an MP from 2014 to 2019.
A noted educationist, Bose taught English for 40 years at Sivanath Shastri College where she was also principal for eight years.
She authored a number of books in English and Bengali, including the much-acclaimed 'An Outsider in Politics', and regularly contributed articles to leading newspapers and periodicals. 'Itihaser Sandhane', 'Charanarekha Taba,' 'Prasanga Subhaschandra', 'Smriti-Bismriti' and 'Netaji: A Biography for the Young' are among her notable publications.
In 1955, Bose was married to Sisir, who played an important role in Netaji's escape from India in 1941.
She got associated with the Netaji Research Bureau since its formation and was its chairperson at the time of her death.
She was also an accomplished classical musician.
Condoling Bose's death, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted: "I lost someone respected, loved & admired by me."
Describing Bose as the mother to the "whole Trinamool family", Banerjee said she was saddened and shocked to hear about her demise.
"Being a part of Netaji's family, she was a revered social reformer, renowned poet and courageous educationalist... Her immense contribution to Indian society and Bengali culture will be revered for times to come," she said in her social media post.
A grieving Nobel laureate Amartya Sen said he has learnt a lot from Bose.
"People like us have learnt a lot from her not only on politics, but also social studies and civilisation, Indian and Bengali tradition. Her passing away is a matter of grave sadness.
"I consider myself very lucky to have got the opportunity to mix with her," Sen said.
