Veteran activist and peacemaker Tapan Bose.
| Photo Credit: x@ANI
Veteran activist and peacemaker Tapan Bose, a lifelong campaigner for dialogue in conflict-hit zones such as Kashmir and the Naxal-dominated districts of the country, died at his residence in the capital on Thursday. He was also respected for his courageous stand in the aftermath of the Godhra carnage and the Gujarat riots of 2002 and the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.
“Tapan Bose was a very dear friend of communities who were oppressed by jingoistic nationalism and militarisation. His friendships across Balochistan, Burma, Kashmir, Naga areas and the Tamil movement in Sri Lanka are well known,” said a statement by the Pakistan-India Peoples’ Forum for Peace and Democracy. Bose was a prolific documentary film maker, making films that dealt with a range of issues, including the situation in Jharkhand, the condition of gas tragedy victims in Bhopal, and the victims of the Bhagalpur blindings.
Among his many initiatives were the human rights research on Punjab disappearances in the 1980s and 1990s, the Kashmir peace initiatives, and the Indo-Naga peace process. Bose was a strong proponent of the rights of Rohingya refugees in India. He also supported the trade union movement and was a close advisor to campaigns by the fishing and forest worker communities.
Published – January 31, 2025 01:34 am IST