‘At 88, I don’t care anymore’: Artist Nandalal Bose’s grandson after SIR strikes his and wife’s names off electoral database

KOLKATA: I am 88 years old and I don't care about what is happening," said Suprabuddha Sen, maternal grandson of artist and painter Nandalal Bose, who illustrated the original manuscript of India's Constitution and designed emblems for prestigious honours, including the Bharat Ratna.

Bose was also the principal of Kala Bhavana in Santiniketan and illustrated several of Rabindranath Tagore's literary works and contributed to the stage designs for his plays.

His grandson and his granddaughter-in-law Deepa, 82, have been struck off the electoral roll despite submitting relevant documents, including educational certificates and passports. They are voters of ward number 2 under Bolpur Assembly constituency.

"The person who deleted our names will be able to answer why the names were removed. I am 88 and I don't care. I can only say that we are not someone whose names should have been deleted," said Sen, son of Bose's younger daughter Jamuna Sen.

The octogenarian couple live opposite Nandan hostel, near Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen's house, Pratichi. "My grandfather, Nandalal Bose, lived here for ages. My father built our house in 1958 and since then our family has been living here," Sen shared.

"I grew up in Santiniketan. I passed my matriculation from Patha Bhavana at Visva Bharati in 1954 and subsequently completed my Intermediate Science from the same institution. I studied mechanical engineering from Jadavpur University and then took up a job at Damodar Valley Corporation. I worked there for 32 years and then retired in 1996. After retirement, I have been living at my ancestral home in Santiniketan and have voted in every election since then, if I remember," Sen added.

According to the octogenarian, he was not able to find the 2002 electoral rolls to verify their names.

"I asked my booth-level officer, but he didn't have it either. Since I am 88 and my wife is 82, the hearing took place at our home. I submitted all documents, including my matriculation certificate, passport, employment records, pension payment order, but still they kept the name under adjudication and later deleted it. Similarly, my wife also submitted all the pertinent documents that they asked for, but still her name has been removed from the voter list. We have applied as new voters but don't know whether we will be able to vote or not. I have nothing more to say," Sen added.