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'''Basanta Kumar De''' (9 March, 1897 - 31 August, 1975) was a senior officer of the [[Bengal Nagpur Railway|BNR]].<ref name="frontline1">[http://www.frontline.in/other/obituary/historian-and-administrator/article4995294.ece "Historian and Administrator" | '''Basanta Kumar De''' (9 March, 1897 - 31 August, 1975) was a senior officer of the [[Bengal Nagpur Railway|BNR]].<ref name="frontline1">[http://www.frontline.in/other/obituary/historian-and-administrator/article4995294.ece Aniruddha Ray, "Historian and Administrator", 'Frontline', 2013] Retrieved 2015-03-03</ref> | ||
'''Early Life and Education''' | '''Early Life and Education''' | ||
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He was recruited in to the BNR in London in 1921. His first posting was as Assistant Commercial Officer. In that capacity he played an important role in the building of the BNR Hotel in Puri. As a young officer posted in Kharagpore he witnessed the first railway workshop strike there led by V.V. Giri in 1927. | He was recruited in to the BNR in London in 1921. His first posting was as Assistant Commercial Officer. In that capacity he played an important role in the building of the BNR Hotel in Puri. As a young officer posted in Kharagpore he witnessed the first railway workshop strike there led by V.V. Giri in 1927. | ||
He was tasked with the responsibility of carrying out the survey work for the laying of the Raipur-Vizianagram and Sonepur-Bolangir railway lines in 1931. Through the 1930s he served as District Commercial Officer in Waltair, Kharagpore, Nainpur and Adra. While he was in Adra for a second time, he was given the responsibility of managing the transportation of Congress leaders and workers attending the Ramgarh Session of the Indian National Congress of 1941. In this connection he had to visit Mahatma Gandhi there. | He was tasked with the responsibility of carrying out the survey work for the laying of the Raipur-Vizianagram and Sonepur-Bolangir railway lines in 1931. Through the 1930s he served as District Commercial Officer in Waltair, Kharagpore, Nainpur and Adra. While he was in Adra for a second time, he was given the responsibility of managing the transportation of Congress leaders and workers attending the Ramgarh Session of the Indian National Congress of 1941. In this connection he had to visit Mahatma Gandhi there. <ref name="oralhistory">[https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://wikis.uit.tufts.edu/confluence/display/atbohp/Barun%2BDe%3Fdesktop%3Dtrue%26macroName%3Dattachments&ved=2ahUKEwiykozQoIH1AhUVxDgGHaIvCykQFnoECAYQAQ&usg=AOvVaw083H797WHC9n5MOfE8i6xG Text of Barun De's interview given to Kris Manjapra for Tufts University Oral History Archive, 2009]</ref> | ||
De was recruited as a Major in the Corps of Engineers of the Indian army during the Second World War years. He served as Regional Controller of Railway Priorities (RCRP) under the Railway Board and then as Traffic Superintendent General. In 1950, he was appointed as Commercial Traffic Manager. In the last two years of his career, he attended meetings chaired by the then Chief Minister of West Bengal, Bidhan Chandra Ray. De retired from active service at the end of 1952. | De was recruited as a Major in the Corps of Engineers of the Indian army during the Second World War years. He served as Regional Controller of Railway Priorities (RCRP) under the Railway Board and then as Traffic Superintendent General. In 1950, he was appointed as Commercial Traffic Manager. In the last two years of his career, he attended meetings chaired by the then Chief Minister of West Bengal, Bidhan Chandra Ray. De retired from active service at the end of 1952. | ||