Dear comrades and friends,

I just received the sad notice below of Michael Lucas’ death.

For those who did not know Michael, he was the long-time editor of Northstar Compass, the journal of the International Council for Friendship and Solidarity with the Soviet People. He not only wrote most of the material, but also did the layout, stuffing the envelopes and mailing of the journal. He kept up this work until he was in his 90s, with help from his wife Helen and other comrades from Toronto and around the world.

Michael was one of the most consistent fighters for socialism. He was a long-time leader of the Society of Carpatho-Russian Canadians. After the temporary demise of the Soviet Union in 1991, most of the Slavic organizations in Canada either dissolved or abandoned socialism for nationalism. Michael and the Carpatho-Russian organization held high the red banner of socialism, and began the work on Northstar Compass. He contacted the forces in the Soviet Union and other formerly socialist countries who were continuing the struggle. Northstar Compass was read by revolutionary and progressive people all over the world.

Michael’s spirit in the struggle for socialism will long be remembered.

He will be sorely missed.

The journal also published the statement made by Gorbachev in Turkey that he had planned all along to end the existence of the Soviet Union and the democratic countries and replace them with his social democratic ideals. Northstar Compass introduced the books of the British communists Ernest Trory and Harpal Brar to North American audiences as well as the writings of the Soviet author Irina Malenko and her valuable three-volume work ‘Soviética’. Michael Lucas month after month relentlessly for three decades carried out the work of bringing out Northstar Compass and its associated publications, translated thousands of articles and documents, and prepared each issue for distribution. While Michael Lucas has been separated from life his contribution to the communist movement stands as a monument to him. We express our condolences to Helen Lucas his wife, to his son Michael Lucas Jr. and his daughter, Mary Ann, and the grandchildren.

Anatoly Pyzhov was born in 1941 in the village of Khvoinoe (now the Novgorod region). After graduating from the Leningrad Shipbuilding Institute, he worked in various engineering and other working positions at the Admiralty Shipyard. As a member of the People’s Control group at this enterprise in the 70s-80s, he repeatedly cracked down on various rackets and abuses by the plant’s administration. Once, due to his activities in the People’s Control of exposing malpractices, a criminal case was fabricated against him on a trumped-up charge at the instigation of the company’s management, which, fortunately, could be thwarted.

With the beginning of the notorious Perestroika, Anatoly got very actively involved in the workers’ and political movement as part of the United Front of Working People. In 1989, he ran for the elections of the USSR People’s Deputies. In his election programme, Anatoly emphasized the importance and necessity of workers’ representation in elected government bodies. Later Anatoly Pyzhov took an active part in the publication of the newspapers Golos Rabochego, Counter-arguments and Facts, Arguments and Counter-arguments. In the 90s and 2000s, Anatoly was the secretary of the workers’ trade union “Labour Defence” for international relations.

In 1999, Anatoly Pyzhov became one of the leading organizers of the editorial board of Proletarskaya Gazeta, and since 2017, has been its editor-in-chief.

At all stages of his political activity, Anatoly Pyzhov invariably and consistently defended the Marxist-Leninist theory and actively and unswervingly pursued the scientific Marxist-Leninist line.

Despite the aggravation of his serious illness, Anatoly was very active in the editorial office of the Proletarskaya Gazeta until the very end. A lot of his hard work has been invested in each issue of the Proletarskaya Gazeta, from the very first to the forty-fourth.

Proletarskaya Gazeta

Anatoly Pyzhov succumbed to the COVID-19 virus on June 12th 2020 in the city of Leningrad, a city that hosted his political activism over decades and that he refused to accept being renamed.

Anatoly belongs to a generation of Soviet citizens that grew up in the Soviet Union during the rule of revisionism and saw it collapse. Anatoly belonged to that class of politically conscious individuals that refused to accept the premises of modern revisionism and the alleged inevitability of capitalism. Instead, he arrived at the conclusion that modern revisionism, embodied by Khrushchov-Brezhnev’s socio-economic and political reforms, lie at the heart of the restoration of capitalism in the Soviet Union. He realized that it was not socialism that collapsed in 1991, but a covert form of capitalism, where its elites had come to the realization that open forms of capitalism were more adequate for the advancement of their class interests.

Anatoly was one of the first in the country to militantly uphold the banner of Lenin-Stalin during Yeltsin’s rule and following him, during Putin’s regime. Whereas Stalin is vindicated today, only few stood in his defence back in the 90s. Anatoly was one of those political activists that took it upon themselves to consistently promote the cause of socialism and social justice in one of the darkest times of the History of Russia.

He was the leading founder of Proletarskaya Gazeta, which is published to this date, and has consistently exposed revisionism, covered news from the workers movement from Russia and all over the world. Proletarskaya Gazeta, upon Anatoly’s insistence, always reminded the reader about the revolutionary traditions of the proletariat.

Anatoly was also active in the union movement. He contributed and held significant positions of responsibility in the Federation of Unions “Zaschita Truda”, where he defended militant positions.

Anatoly consistently exposed the revisionist stand of political organizations that emerged from the revisionist CPSU and that continue to exist in modern Russia. Anatoly and his colleagues maintained constant relations with different regions of Russia and former states of the USSR, where a network of comrades and sympathizers was created.

Anatoly’s combative spirit has left in mark in many and his contribution to the struggle of the oppressed in Russia will not be forgotten.

Rafael Martinez

I’ve been thinking what to write all day. He played a huge role in my life. It was he who helped me become a communist, instill a sense of duty and understanding that you should be responsible for your words and actions. He was as important to me as no one else who has passed through my life. From my 17 years he led me and helped me in becoming a person, a fighter against injustice, a conscious communist. With his help, I realized the value of labour of the working class, without which there can be no life on the planet. Having also become a member of this class, I approach the work RESPONSIBLY recalling his words: “The work of others depends on your work.”

He lived a long life, raised three daughters, two grandchildren. And I, his grandson, swear that his work will continue. Only communism! Only the victory of the proletariat! Only internationalism and victory over any obscurantism: national, racial, or religious!

Thank you, grandfather, dear comrade Anatoly, for everything. Your labor is not in vain!

Georgiy Eremin

It was a remarkable stay for two days in the month of January when temperature went down to minus 15 degree Celsius. Comrade Anatoly’s house was a small three roomed apartment in which he, his wife, his daughter and Babushka (his mother-in-law), lived. Nobody knew English and I did not know a word of Russian. But the warmth that was extended by every family member is unforgettable. There was a small dining table on which my food was kept and Babushka would sit in front. She was a very sweet looking plum lady with a wonderful smile. She would feed me with so much insistence, getting up again and again to go the kitchen and bringing different things which she thought I would like. At night, I would go to Comrade Anatoly’s study and there with the help of a dictionary and computer we would chat for a while. He told me about the ongoing struggles of the working class and the general feeling of people about socialism. He was a committed Stalinist. He always referred to St. Petersburg as Leningrad.

In two days’ time, when I left with promises that I would visit them again, it was like all of them were close friends from a long, long time. Comrade gave me a set of picture postcards of Leningrad which is a very precious gift for me. I have kept it carefully in my cupboard. And of course, Babushka gave me two bottles of pickles.

Comrade remained in touch. He put me on the mailing list of the journal “Proletarskaya Gazeta.” The last mail that I received was on 16th April, 2020. It was a news item in Russian regarding War and State terrorism in Ukraine.

As his grandson Georgiy Eremin has written, Comrade was committed to making this world a better place. His life was devoted to his ideological commitment. I am glad that Georgiy has taken the responsibility to carry forward the legacy of his grandpa, who was also his comrade.

My red salute to Comrade Anatoly and “Long Live Socialism.”

Jaya Mehta

In Memory of Comrade Anatoly

Though I never have any type of wanderlust, because of my political inclination, it was my dream to touch the land of the USSR. The dream didn’t materialize, but I went to Russia in 2012. It made my dream half true. Except for writings on social media, I haven’t written anything anywhere regarding my journey. Today first time I seat to write something but the context is different.

We are passing through a critical phase in our country. Fighting a pandemic without having any social security and health structure for more than 90% of the population, everyday people are losing their jobs as well as their small savings, local as well as central governments are busy in data management and trying to bypassing the failure through their old school policy of nationalism. The hate politics is on the rampage. We are losing our relatives, friends, comrades as well as economic stability (sustainability). Our economy is facing high inflation with a sky-high level of unemployment (stagflation). Monetary policy has lost its all the efficacies to promote any boost up. The real interest rate has entered into the negative arena. Day to day struggle is going on in every aspect of life. All are happening very quickly because this pandemic is unmasking our broken system very fast. But a particular incident has shaken me a lot. This pandemic didn’t spare our great comrade Anatoly Pyzhkov, a pioneer revolutionary communist from Leningrad.

My dreamy journey got paused in two things that happened in the city. Both of them were very much real-life phenomenon. Firstly, the homely feelings I have got from his family was unexpected. One can get this only from true revolutionary people. I never felt that I was not only an outsider but a foreigner, who first time came to their place. It was truly our home. I don’t know the Russian language, Vijay acted like an interpreter. But language problems never became any obstacle in our relations. One day his daughter with her children came to meet us. She was also like her parents. I don’t have much experience with Russian culture about day to day life. But whatever I experienced there, to date I consider those as ideal. There was no artificiality in the provision of homely feelings that I enjoyed there. It is tough to absorb all types of idealism in day to day life. Before meeting him, I met many comrades in their home who practiced all these very consciously in their life but I never felt that Anatoly practiced family life consciously, everything was spontaneous in his behaviour.

Like every tour, ultimately time had arrived to return from Leningrad. But the feeling was not like returning home, it was like leaving one home for another home. I never thought that COVID-19 can make that meeting became the last meeting with him. Meeting with a true revolutionary in Leningrad was my best takeaway from Russia. Maybe he is physically no more but his thoughts and lifestyle will remain living in my life. Very few people can create a huge role in anyone’s life within a very short period. Comrade Anatoly’s contribution to my political thought as well as social life cannot be described in words.

Sujit Basu

Nina Aleksandrovna Andreeva, the General Secretary of the All- Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, passed away on July 24th 2020. Nina Andreeva has been a prominent member of the Russian communist movement in the post-Soviet period for three decades. The political organization that she led has a presence in other countries that emerged from the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Nina Andreeva came to prominence with the publication of her renowned article “I cannot forsake my principles”. The article was published in the leading newspaper “Sovetskaya Rossiya” on March 13th 1988 and it became an anti-Perestroika manifesto in its own right. The article came out at a time when many in the CPSU had become concerned with the line undertaken by Gorbachov, Yakovlev and other proponents of Perestroika, could lead to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Anti-Stalinism and, in particular, the discussions revolving around the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact had become a momentous catalyzer for the disintegration of the Soviet Union that the Gorbachov-Yakovlev clique had unleashed.

Perestroika and Glasnost revived the neo-Trotskyite narrative in regard to the criticism of Stalin’s role in history. Perestroika resurrected the Khrushchov’s defamatory views and took it to a whole new level of ludicrousness. Towards the end of Perestroika anti-Stalinist propaganda had become so preposterous and pervasive that Nina Andreeva’s defence of Stalin’s role in Soviet History became a sensation and an act of great courage. Nina Andreeva’s letter played a prominent role in dignifying the role of Stalin in Soviet History that later became a benchmark for the communist movement following the demise of the Soviet Union. It became apartment that anti-Stalinism became the Trojan horse that propelled anti-communism and anti-Sovietism. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the historical figure of Stalin has been gradually vindicated, not only within the communist movement, but by vast layers of toiling masses in Russia and other former republics of the Soviet Union.

However, and despite consistently defending the political economy of Lenin-Stalin and exposing the anti-Marxist character of the economic reforms of Khrushchev-Brezhnev, Nina Andreeva considered the Soviet Union and the Eastern Block as socialist countries till the very end. While Nina Andreeva exposed the nature of the ideology that took over the State after the death of Stalin as right wing revisionism, she consistently held the view that the fundaments of socialism remained in place till capitalism was restored in 1991. According to Nina Andreeva, the pro-market transformations led by Khrushchev, followed by Kosygin-Liberman reforms under Brezhnev, ushered in a new stage in the economic history of the Soviet Union, however, did not signify the liquidation of socialism. Despite being cognizant of the deviationism and opportunism that gained the upper hand in the post-Stalin period, Nina Andreeva praised Brezhnev’s period for a number of accomplishments in the economy, science and technology. Nina Andreeva defended the Soviet intervention in Czechoslovakia and Afghanistan, where despite deviations, and believed that were inherently intended to defend socialism and progressive ideals. That said, Nina Andreeva was cognizant that the leadership of the countries of Eastern Europe had been cleansed of Stalinist elements and had embraced the new economic course imposed by Khrushchev and Brezhnev. As such, deviationism was pervasive in the Eastern block as well.

Nina Andreeva was of the opinion in 1992 that, what she viewed as a temporary defeat of socialism in 1991, shifted the centre of gravity of the world revolutionary movement to Asia and Latin America. She considered China, North Korea, Vietnam, Cuba and Laos the then bastions of socialism the world. In recent years, Nina Andreeva considered North Korea and Cuba as the two remaining socialist countries.

Geopolitical alliances to counter American imperialism have been suggested multiple times by Nina Andreeva, where today’s capitalist Russia, China and other countries are encouraged to establish alliances to counter American imperialism.

Nina Andreeva has also expressed the view that integrational tendencies of countries of the former Soviet Union, even on the basis of capitalism, would be welcome by her party. This is motivated by the belief that such integration, where the Russian Federation would play a leading role, would enhance the chances of restoring the Soviet Union. Nina Andreeva and her party supported the transfer of Crimea to the Russian Federation in 2014.

Nina Andreeva’s contribution to the Russian communist movement needs to be viewed in the concrete historical context of her upbringing and her subsequent political activity. Nina Andreeva’s compassionate attitude towards Brezhnev’s regime and the socio-economic formation that emerged from the reforms of the post-Stalin period bears witness of the historical backdrop that shaped her views. It is in this context that we need to appreciate her contribution. New generations of Russian communists, and communist elsewhere, need to be appreciative of Nina Andreeva’s unwavering support of Stalin’s legacy, both as a statesman and as a theorist of Marxist-Leninism. Herein lies the value of her contribution and what needs to be upheld by the new generation of Russian communists.

Nina Andreeva has struggled for the restoration of the Soviet Union for almost three decades. She has done that with conviction of the superiority of the Socialist formation with respect to capitalism. Let her legacy to new generations of fighters be a call for the restoration of the Soviet Union on the basis of the political economy of Lenin-Stalin, on the basis of socialist industrialization and centralized planning, where theories of so called market socialism are to be rejected as a matter of principle, together with all other forms of deviationism.

Rafael Martinez

Pushkin’s poetry was the first book to be read by the then four-year-old son of a Red Cossack from the Don basin. Pre-war Moscow and Stalingrad became his brightest childhood impressions, among other things, while the unforgettable lesson learned together with the millions of other Soviet children and adolescents was the difficult years of war and the months spent under fascist occupation near Elista. After his graduation from high school, Richard entered the Department of Philosophy at Moscow State University. It was already in his student years that he undertook his first steps in theoretical work. He then did not leave this job while serving as a teacher, as an employee of the Central Committee of the CPSU, as a deputy editor-in-chief of Pravda, and during his 10 years of heading the “Communist” magazine. Being fully aware of the fruitfulness of the hackneyed “slogan-report” mentality, Richard Ivanovich sought and continuously discovered the kind of Leninist sound that would excite the mind and inspire the heart. As a scientist, he saw the relevance and the inexhaustible potential of Marxism; as a communist, he was conscious of his duty to carry the knowledge into the masses, having taken it as a baton from his great predecessors.

Having realized, in the very first year of the so-called “perestroika”, the impending betrayal and surrender by the bureaucracy of the Party, R. I. Kosolapov threw all his efforts at mobilizing the genuine communist forces to repel the bourgeois anti-revolution. He spoke to worker collectives. He inspired and organized fellow party members. He gathered fellow scientists and learning youth of the USSR around him. He did not bend or retreat. At the same time, fate was ruthless, taking away his wife and then his son. Once the heart failed, though the doctors and nature were able to cope with the problem. And yet, Richard Ivanovich continued to focus on his work every day and hour – on another, and another, and yet another step that would provide, at the right time, the working class with yet another solid brick of ideological groundwork, irreplaceable when every minute becomes precious, and there are no reserves left at hand. He was not shattered by the temporary retreat of socialism. As a scientist and a strategist, he understood that the main social battles were still ahead. Yet, today it is critically important to preserve the ideas, to stay at the corresponding level, to prevent the enemy from slandering and destroying our work. Richard Ivanovich carried his torch-heart through his life in a way that is worthy of the Pioneers of the great idea he served, scattering the sparks of knowledge generously, infecting with conviction, spending himself until nothing is left to spend. He worked until the last day and was absolutely sure that the baton would be picked up, and the race continued.

Life played a new trick on us, it snatched you from our comrades and friends, from your beloved family, from the communist militancy and from the struggle for the revolution.

We met 50 years ago, we found ourselves in the internationalist trenches and since then we share ideals, aspirations and dreams and, of course, concerns to advance in the common struggle to make the construction of our parties more concrete, for the forging of the international communist movement. Marxist Leninist, for the validity of proletarian internationalism.

We walked together, on the same route, but in different trenches, in the organization of the working class and the youth in Spain and Ecuador, in the leadership of the revolutionary struggle. We celebrate successes and victories, and we resent setbacks and defeats.

I keep in mind your positions in defence of the revolutionary doctrine of the proletariat, Marxism-Leninism, at the same time as your determined efforts for its creative application in concrete conditions, your decision to open paths and point out directions, following the wise advice of Machado, “Walker, there is no path, the path is made by walking”.

I remember and shared, in the same positions, the intransigent confrontation with the opportunists and revisionists who ravaged the Marxist-Leninists, the peddlers of the principles who tried to lead us astray, the traitors and renegades who, in the name of communism, tried to destroy the forces revolutionaries of the proletariat.

United and together with other comrades and parties, we forged the new expression of proletarian internationalism, the International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations, CIPOML, we unmasked nationalist positions, we clarified misunderstandings and we overcame difficulties, we will continue our work, we promise you, comrade Raúl.

Raúl Marco along with other Spanish communists, in the course of the anti-Franco combat, for the revolution and socialism, in frontal battles against the opportunism of the Carrillos, formed the fierce Communist Party of Spain (Marxist Leninist) and from their ranks they contributed to the fight for revolution and socialism.

The theoretical and political work that you developed over more than sixty years is present in the existence of the PCE (ML), in the pages of “Vanguardia Obrera”, “Octubre”, “Revolución Española”, of the International Marxist Leninist Magazines, “Theory and Practice” and “Unity and Struggle”, demonstrates the firmness and consequence, your concerns and concerns, constitutes an important contribution to the international organization of the proletarian revolution.

The perseverance in the application of the principles, in the concrete practice of the Spanish Revolution, developed political initiatives and proposals welcomed by the working class and the youth, they were expressed in the program of the People’s and Federal Republic, in the formation and struggle The Revolutionary Antifascist and Patriot Front, FRAP, decided to give a hard war to Franco.198

In the early years of the 1990s, a small group of opportunists and traitors subverted the Communist Party of Spain (Marxist Leninist); In the name of the new times and reality, they assaulted the Directorate and dispersed the Organization, they tried to destroy the vanguard of the Spanish revolution and delegitimize the revolutionary principles of Marxism-Leninism. Apparently they had succeeded, they had achieved their goals. They did not count on your decision and that of your comrades who resumed the path, healed their wounds and rebuilt the Party. It was a hard, difficult and complex path that made clear the mettle of the Spanish Marxist Leninists, the determination of Raúl Marco to continue, to the last consequences, the war to the death against capitalism and for the triumph of communism.

The memories of your struggle and the value of your contributions make clear a great communist, a revolutionary organizer and leader, a consistent internationalist. They also leave the memory of an exceptional human being, studious and creative, simple and thoughtful, fraternal and in solidarity with his comrades and friends; firm and tough, uncompromising with enemies and traitors.

I learned a lot from your way of being, from your frankness and camaraderie, I will always remember you, I lost a dear friend, an example of struggle and sacrifice.

I remember now one of your last phrases expressed when the disease was lurking, “I will win this war, I will defeat death” and that is how it has been, you continue the battle in the militancy and the fight of your comrades, of your life partner, of our dear Lola. You defeated death, the trail of your example remains.

Salute to late Comrade Raúl Marco

Revolutionary Democracy expresses our deep regret for the loss and condoles the demise of the veteran Spanish revolutionary comrade Raúl Marco on 16th October 2020.

Born in 1936, Comrade Raúl Marco had been a committed Marxist-Leninist revolutionary figure since the 1960s. He was one of the founders and leaders of the Communist Party of Spain (Marxist-Leninist) in 1964. He was also a leader in forming the Revolutionary Antifascist Patriotic Front (FRAP), a radical Spanish anti-fascist revolutionary organisation that operated in the 1970s. In 2006, he promoted the re-founding of the PCE (ML) and in 2018 he published his memoirs entitled “Ráfagas y remnantes de la historia del PCE (ML) y el FRAP.”

Comrade Raúl Marco had stood firmly with the commitment to defend revolutionary ideology and activism to liberate the Spanish proletariat from the combined threats of traitors in strategic and influential positions within the workers’ organization, revisionism, and fascism. He was also a revolutionary internationalist. He played a key role in the formation of the International Conference of the Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organisations in August 1994.

Comrade Raúl Marco has died and the Marxist Leninist communists of the world express our regret. A courageous life dedicated for decades to the struggle for revolution and socialism, for the ideals of communism, has been lost. A persevering internationalist has left, a tireless worker for the unity of the communists at the international level.

Comrade Raúl Marco carried out persevering work for the construction, implantation and development of the Communist Party of Spain (Marxist-Leninist), PCE (ml). From that trench, from the columns of Vanguardia Obrera and the International Magazines Theory and Practice and Unity and Struggle , he expressed his firm adherence to the principles, his eagerness to apply them in the concrete conditions of Spain and on an international scale.

The PCE (ml) was forged in the fight for the immediate interests of the working class and the peoples of Spain, in the consistent practice of proletarian internationalism, in the frontal fight against Franco’s fascism, in the construction and leadership of the Antifascist Revolutionary Front and Patriota, FRAP; in the ideological battles in defence of Marxism-Leninism and the fight without quarter against the opportunists and revisionists, against the traitors; He contributed significantly to the formation of the International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations, CIPOML.

The capitalists and reactionaries of Spain tried, by all means, to destroy, divide and dismantle the PCE (ml), they persecuted it, imprisoned and tortured prominent militants and murdered prominent anti-fascist fighters but each coup, each factionalist attempt failed over and over again Once, it crashed into the principles and their defenders, the Marxist-Leninist leaders and militants.

In 1990 a small group of opportunists and traitors gave a devious blow, assaulted the Party leadership and from there they dissolved it by decree. In vain, Raúl Marco and other consistent Marxist Leninists continued the struggle and after a few years rebuilt the PCE (ml), recovered for the workers and peoples of Spain the proletarian revolutionary vanguard that continues to develop the struggle for socialism.

The International Conference of Marxist Leninist Parties and Organizations, ICMLPO inclines the red flags of communism to the memory of comrade Raúl Marco, expresses solidarity with the leadership and militants of the Communist Party of Spain (ml), with his beloved family, in a way special with Comrade Lola.

The example of comrade Raúl will accompany us in the new battles that we will fight in our countries to organize and make the revolution.

Glory to Comrade Raúl Marco

Raul Marco

Who knew better
to fight for the working class
his class of the country
in difficult times of fascism?

Who knew better
the internationalism
in theory and practice
in our time?

Who knew better
to raise the banner of socialism and republic, of revolution
to organize their foundations
for the next time? It is time!

Step forward
who believes to surpass him?
His equals, so few
too few for now

Who knew better
the contradictions
and the class interests and the united front
of our era?

Who knew better
in theory and practice
the role of revisionism as capitalisms restorer and defender
in our era?

Who knew better
to raise the banner of socialism and republic, of revolution
to organize their foundations
for the next era? era of socialism!

Make steps forward comrades
show to become his equal!
Comrades of his course, so many
and more are coming.

K. Dalgaard

“There are men that fight one day and are good. There are others who fight a year and they are better. Some fight for many years and are very good. But there are those who fight all their lives: those are the indispensable ones.” – Bertolt Brecht

It was with great sorrow that we learnt of the recent demise of N.K. Bhattacharya which occurred upon learning of the death of his daughter from Covid 19. Her death took place as a result of the primitive health infrastructure which in the country exists as a consequence of neo-liberalism, coupled with the negligence of the current government in the pandemic. It is a great loss for the democratic movement. ‘Dada’ as he was informally known contributed to our journal for twenty years on matters relating to the Indian economy. He was known amongst our readership for his knack of combining his knowledge of the Indian economy with current economic policies and developments from the working people’s point of view. N.K. Bhattacharya was noted for his contributions to journals such as Economic and Political Weekly, Mainstream 202

Weekly and the communist press. As a founder of Janhastakshep, which regularly produced reports on state atrocities on working people, the lower castes and tribal peoples, he travelled across the country with his teams informing the movement of the violent activities of the state. As a senior professor and administrator in the University of Delhi in Motilal Nehru College he was a active member in the university trade union movement, being elected to the Academic Council of the university. After his retirement he arranged schooling for the children of ragpickers in Jehangirpuri and those of industrial workers in Wazirpur Industrial Area. Comrades pass on and the movement for democracy continues; it remembers its participants and their contributions. So long comrade Bhattacharya! Condolences to his family on the occasion of a double loss. He is survived by his son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter in Zurich and by his son-in-law, grandson and granddaughter in Delhi.

N.K Bhattacharya Surkh Salaam!

A Son’s Tribute to his Father

Born on 25th September in 1936 in Chandannagar, West Bengal, my father Naba Kumar Bhattacharya was eldest of the 3 siblings. My grandfather, a social worker and a freedom fighter, had very less income. The partition of Bengal shocked my grandmother and she developed a chronic mental health condition. With the hard family circumstances along with financial difficulties it was forced upon my father (Baba) to earn money for a family of 5 at an early age. But he did not give up on his studies. During the day he worked and in the evening he travelled to study Commerce at the prestigious St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta.

After completing his graduation, Baba took up teaching in Government College in Chandanagar. In 1962, he got a job in the Survey of India (Government. of India) and moved to Delhi. This job he later quit due to some difference in opinion with his seniors.

Later he got a job in a Delhi University and along with a few other teachers, he started at the Motilal Nehru College where he worked for 35 years until his retirement. In the college, he made sure that good quality education was given and he always stood for the rights of the non-teaching staff. While teaching his love for his studies continued and he went on to complete his Ph.D. from Jawaharlal Nehru University. He wrote several articles on the Indian Economy in Mainstream Weekly, Economic and Political Weekly and in many other journals. In the University, Baba was politically active and he got elected into the Academic Council of Delhi University, where he stood for the rights of the college teachers.

His love for Bengal stayed with him for all the years he stayed in Delhi. He was actively involved in the activities of the Bengal Association, Delhi, and he was instrumental in starting the Durga Puja in Shalimar Bagh, Delhi, where he lived for 40 years. I have never seen him worshiping but he was happy to see that people could come together and celebrate. Even at home, when we had Lakshmi Puja, he was the one who would cook food for all.

Providing education to the children of poor and migrant workers was also in his agenda. In Delhi, Jahangir Puri, area he started a school for the kids of ragpickers and for the last 20 years he along with his friends ran a school in the Wazirpur Industrial Area for the kids of industrial workers. In the last years, Baba was also involved with the activities of the resident welfare association where he lived. He made sure that senior citizens living alone should be taken care of.

Since the Covid pandemic happened, he became worried. A person like him who had travelled, talked and met people could not do it anymore. In our everyday telephone conversation, he kept asking me when will this pandemic end.

When the news of my sister’s (Kakoli) death due Covid arrived on the 24th April 2021, my father could not take the shock. The very strong, self-made and selfless man became very weak. His grandson Hriday, granddaughter Khushi and son-in-law Himanshu tried to bring back his strength but he did not want to get back. On 27th April, at 1 am Baba breathed his last in his own flat in Shalimar Bagh, Delhi.

Nabada/ Dada as he is/was lovingly called by his friends in Delhi and around will be dearly missed. His talks will be missed. His strong pro-people opinions will be missed. He lived a good innings of 85 years without any sickness and touched many lives. A man who lived life in his own terms, always told me not to worry and to live with the head held high.

I will miss you Baba and I am proud be your son in this life.

I love you.