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{{Short description|British campaigner}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Sanjib Bhattacharjee
| birth_date =
| birth_place = [[India]]
| death_date =
| birthname =
| party =
| otherparty = 
| spouse =
| partner = 
| relations =
| children =
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Driving instructor trainer
| honorific_suffix = [[British Empire Medal|BEM]]
}}

'''Sanjib Bhattacharjee''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|BEM}} is a British-Indian campaigner and driving instructor trainer based in [[London|London, United Kingdom]]. He was awarded the [[British Empire Medal|British Empire Medal (BEM)]] in the [[2025 New Year Honours|2025 New Year's Honours]] list in recognition of his involvement in community service and road safety initiatives in the London Boroughs of Newham, Redbridge, and Waltham Forest.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite journal |title=British Empire Medal |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/4783727 |journal=The London Gazette |issue=64607}}</ref><ref name=":2" /><ref name="auto">{{Cite news |title=Assamese Resident of London Gets British Empire Medal |url=https://epaper.assamtribune.com/clip-preview/57961t8prCfRGhRFMS1p9PVGxT1uIeVhkcpuO7428814 |work=The Assam Tribune |pages=8}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=17 July 2025 |title=Sanjib Bhattacharjee Honoured UK National Honour |url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2025/epaper/july/delhi-english-edition-2025-07-17.pdf |work=The Pioneer |pages=8}}</ref>

==Early life==
Bhattacharjee began his community service during his student years in India, where he volunteered with the [[Indian Red Cross Society]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Caddick |first=Paul |date=2025-04-17 |title=ADI Honoured |url=https://www.intelligentinstructor.co.uk/adi-honoured/ |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=Intelligent Instructor |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyQfbKVrLqM |title=ব্রিটিশ এম্পায়ার মেডেল পেলেন অসমের সঞ্জীব ভট্টাচার্য্য! কেন এই সম্মাননা? |date=2025-08-01 |last=Headlines Kolkata |access-date=2025-08-21 |via=YouTube}}</ref> He moved to the UK in 1998.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web |title=Driving instructor trainer receives prestigious award |url=https://roadsafetygb.org.uk/news/driving-instructor-trainer-receives-prestigious-award/ |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=Road Safety GB |language=}}</ref>

==Road safety==
As a road safety advocate, Bhattacharjee has spoken about challenges within the driving test industry in the United Kingdom, including test delays and its impact on key workers. He has called for government action to address issues such as the resale of test appointments and examiner shortages.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-06-16 |title=Time and Alarms |url=https://www.intelligentinstructor.co.uk/time-and-alarms/ |access-date=2025-06-18 |website=Intelligent Instructor |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sanjib Bhattacharjee BEM: Transforming Driver Education |url=https://nri.today/sanjib-bhattacharjee/ |website=NRI Today |date=11 July 2025 }}</ref>

He has organised workshops focused on improving hazard perception and safe driving practices, and has advocated for clearer road markings and pedestrian safety measures.<ref name="auto"/> Bhattacharjee contributed to the development of UK road safety reforms,<ref>{{Cite news |title=সড়ক নিরাপত্তার সংকট আমাদের শিক্ষা ব্যবস্থার খামতি সূচিত করে: সঞ্জীব ভট্টাচার্য |url=https://gatidainik.in/16-09-25/epaper.html |work=Gati Dainik |pages=2}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> including the introduction of seatbelt penalty points, expanded roadside drug testing, and advocacy for [[Graduated driver licensing|Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL).]]<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-08-21 |title=Road Safety Reforms |url=https://www.intelligentinstructor.co.uk/road-safety-reforms/ |access-date=2025-08-22 |website=Intelligent Instructor |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Bhattacharjee has campaigned for Indian road safety as well, emphasising the need for mandatory road safety education.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mukherjee |first=Ritwik |title=India accounts for 11 pc of global road fatalities despite having just 1 pc of world's vehicles |url=https://epaper.thestatesman.com/m5/4046500/Delhi-The-Statesman/19-08-2025#page/10/1 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250821211147/https://epaper.thestatesman.com/4046500/Delhi-The-Statesman/19-08-2025%23page/10/1 |archive-date=21 August 2025 |work=The Statesman |pages=10}}</ref>

Currently, Bhattacharjee is a road safety campaigner and since 2014, an [[Approved Driving Instructor]] and trainer.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=AA Driving Instructor Trainer Recognised in New Year's Honours |url=https://www.theaa.com/about-us/newsroom/bem-honour |website=The AA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=মুখার্জি |first=ঋত্বিক |date=2 August 2025 |title=দেশে সম্মানিত আসামের ভূমিপুত্র |url=https://epaper.tripurabhabishyat.in/?date=02/08/2025&page=7&url=home&ced=11 |work=ত্রিপুরা ভবিষ্যত |pages=7}}</ref>

==Awards and recognition==
Bhattacharjee received a BEM for his contributions to the community.<ref name="auto2"/><ref>{{Cite news |title=Recognition on New Year's Honours List |url=https://edition.pagesuite.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=Ilford%20Recorder&edid=2d210cc2-b509-4f9d-b773-ef4bb3097544 |work=The Ilford Recorder |pages=7}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1 January 2025 |title=ব্রিটেনে জাতীয় সম্মান পাচ্ছেন শ্রীভূমির সঞ্জীব |work=দৈনিক যুগশঙ্খ}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=11 July 2025 |title=শ্রীভূমির সঞ্জীব ভট্টাচার্য ব্রিটিশ এম্পায়ার মেডালে ভূষিত |url=https://gatidainik.in/11-07-25/epaper.html |work=Gati Dainik |pages=3}}</ref> His contributions were also acknowledged by [[Edmund King (campaigner)|Edmund King OBE]], President of the [[The AA|AA]], who commended Bhattacharjee for his dedication to improving road safety and congratulated him on his achievements.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Trimby |first=Adam |date=2025-02-05 |title=AA Driving Instructor Trainer Recognised in New Year's Honours |url=https://www.driving.org/aa-driving-instructor-trainer-recognised-in-new-years-honours/ |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=Driving Instructors Association |language=en-GB}}</ref> He attended the Cabinet Office press briefing at the [[Tower of London]] on the 30th December 2024,<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Year Honours list 2025 |url=https://www.paimages.co.uk/image-details/2.78590218 |website=PA Images}}</ref> where he discussed his work in road safety education.<ref name=":1" />

He is believed to be the first London Driving Instructor Trainer to receive the national honour while working in the role.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name=":1"/>

==Politics==
Bhattacharjee was a political candidate in the London Borough of Redbridge for the [[2010 Redbridge London Borough Council election|2010]], [[2014 Redbridge London Borough Council election|2014]] and [[2018 Redbridge London Borough Council election|2018]] local elections and chairman of the [[Ilford North (UK Parliament constituency)|Ilford North Constituency]] .<ref>{{Cite web |title=2018 Local Election Results |url=https://my.redbridge.gov.uk/electionresults/2018/local/fullwell |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=my.redbridge.gov.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2014 Local Election Results |url=https://my.redbridge.gov.uk/electionresults/2014/local/clayhall |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=my.redbridge.gov.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2010 Local Election Results |url=https://my.redbridge.gov.uk/electionresults/2010/local/barkingside |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=my.redbridge.gov.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-13 |title=Labour hits back after being accused of 'playing politics' in swimming pool row |url=https://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/news/21205203.labour-hits-back-accused-playing-politics-swimming-pool-row/ |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Ilford Recorder |language=en}}</ref> He subsequently joined the Conservative Party,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=পাল |first=অঙ্কিতা |title=ব্রিটিশ এম্পায়ার মেডেল পেলেন অসমের সঞ্জীব ভট্টাচার্য্য! কেন এই সম্মাননা? |url=https://headlineskolkata.com/mob/article.php?v=562 |access-date=2025-08-30 |website=headlineskolkata.com |language=bn}}</ref> citing dissatisfaction with the Labour leadership at the time, stating that he could "no longer defend Ed Miliband and Ed Balls".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Glanville |first=Natalie |date= |title=Sanjib Bhattacharjee said he can "no longer defend Ed Miliband and Ed Balls" |url=https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/11727882.sanjib-bhattacharjee-said-he-can-no-longer-defend-ed-miliband-and-ed-balls/ |work=The Waltham Forest Guardian}}</ref> His decision to support the Conservative Party during then-candidate [[Wes Streeting|Wes Streeting's]] campaign to challenge the Ilford North seat was described as a "blow".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Burnip |first=Laura |date= |title=Former Ilford North Labour chairman defects to Conservatives at height of Wes Streeting campaign |url=https://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/news/21205204.former-ilford-north-labour-chairman-defects-conservatives-height-wes-streeting-campaign/ |work=The Ilford Recorder}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhattacharjee, Sanjib}}
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Recipients of the British Empire Medal]]
[[Category:Conservative Party (UK) politicians]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to England]]
[[Category:Politicians from the London Borough of Redbridge]]

Sanjib Bhattacharjee - Revision history

Aoufa: created basic data from scratch.