Tapan Ghosh

{{Short description|Bengali Hindu nationalist leader (1953–2020)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Tapan Ghosh

| image = Tapan ghosh hs.png

| caption = Ghosh at Indian Association Hall, Kolkata in 2017.

| native_name = তপন ঘোষ

| native_name_lang = bn

| birth_name = Tapan Gangadhar Ghosh

| birth_date = 11 May 1953

| birth_place = Dakshinkhanda, Murshidabad, West Bengal

| death_date = {{Death date and age|12 July 2020|11 May 1953}}

| death_place = Kolkata, India

| organization = Hindu Samhati

| known_for = Hindu nationalism

}}

Tapan Ghosh ({{Langx|bn|তপন ঘোষ|translit=Tapana Ghōṣa}}, 11 May 1953{{snd}}12 July 2020) was a Hindu nationalist leader from West Bengal, India and founder of Hindu Samhati.{{Cite web|title=About Us|url=http://hindusamhati.net|access-date=2020-10-07|website=hindusamhati.net}} He started his career as a member of RSS, later he formed his own organization Hindu Samhati.

Early life

He was born in Dakshinkhanda, Murshidabad, West Bengal to Gangadhar Ghosh and Anima Ghosh. He was eldest of 3 children of his parents and had two younger sisters.{{Cite web|date=2020-07-14|title=Kolkata: Hindu Samhati founder Tapan Ghosh succumbs to coronavirus|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/kolkata-hindu-samhati-founder-tapan-ghosh-succumbs-to-coronavirus-6504563/|access-date=2021-02-04|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}

At the age of 13, he engaged with RSS. After completing school he went to Calcutta University and later completed his graduation in Physics. During his student life he entered student politics as a member of ABVP. He used to lead the “Buddha Amarnath Yatra” (Rajouri, J&K) with a large delegation.{{Cite web|last=Dutta|first=Priyadarshi|date=2020-07-13|title=The man who triggered Hindu resurgence in West Bengal|url=https://thedailyguardian.com/the-man-who-triggered-hindu-resurgence-in-west-bengal/|access-date=2021-02-04|website=The Daily Guardian|language=en-US}} He traveled to different parts of India as a RSS pracharak including Meghalaya, Delhi, Kashmir, West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Uttar Pradesh.{{Cite web|last=Dutta|first=Priyadarshi|date=2020-07-13|title=The man who triggered Hindu resurgence in West Bengal|url=https://thedailyguardian.com/the-man-who-triggered-hindu-resurgence-in-west-bengal/|access-date=2021-02-04|website=The Daily Guardian|language=en-US}}

Hindu Samhati

After serving more than three decades as a member of RSS, he left due to some ideological disputes and along with his followers, he started Hindu Samhati on 14 February 2008. His organisation mainly worked in the Eastern India, notably in West Bengal, Assam,{{Cite web|title=Hindu Samhati Silchar plans a massive rally on Mahalaya morning; To demonstrate in a detention camp-replica|url=https://www.barakbulletin.com/en_US/hindu-samhati-silchar-plans-a-massive-rally-on-mahalaya-morning-to-demonstrate-in-a-detention-camp-replica/|access-date=2020-10-07|website=Barak Bulletin|date=26 September 2019 |language=en-US}} and Jharkhand.

He and his organisation were also active in Ghar Wapsi programmes in his state and has also been arrested for other activities.{{Cite magazine|author=Indrajit Kundu |date=February 15, 2018 |title=Arrested Hindu Samhati leader Tapan Ghosh sent to police custody till February 17|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/arrested-hindu-samhati-leader-tapan-ghosh-sent-to-police-custody-till-february-17-1170281-2018-02-15|access-date=2021-08-23|magazine=India Today|language=en}}

Foreign invitations

He was invited by British parliamentarian Bob Blackman to the United Kingdom where Ghosh delivered his speech in Parliament committee room at Westminster, mainly about the plight of Bengali Hindus and the danger of Islam.{{Cite web|date=2017-10-26|title=Bengal-based Hindutva leader's speech in British Parliament draws ire|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bengal-based-hindutva-leader-s-speech-in-british-parliament-draws-ire/story-r2WAqo3Fhlaltkaj0MolCM.html|access-date=2020-10-06|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}} He also went to the USA{{Cite web|last=ஒருமைப்பாடு|first=தேசிய|date=2010-08-30|title=Bharath is a Holy land: An Interview with Tapan Ghosh, President of Hindu Samhati in America.|url=http://erodebjp.blogspot.com/2010/08/interview-with-tapan-ghosh-president-of.html|access-date=2020-11-30|website=Bharath is a Holy land}} and Israel at the invitation of the different organizations (Hindu Congress of America, Indo-American Intellectual forum, and others) and also delivered his speech and held interviews.{{YouTube |HJqxJEFM7sc |Tapan Ghosh, Hindu Samhati}}{{Cite news|title=In Calcutta, tens of thousands at pro-Israel rally by far-right Hindu movement|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-calcutta-tens-of-thousands-at-pro-israel-rally-by-far-right-hindu-movement/amp/|access-date=2020-10-06|work=The Times of Israel}}

Death

In late June 2020, he contracted COVID-19. On 12 July 2020, after spending 15 days in hospital, Ghosh died at the age of 67 in Kolkata.{{Cite web|title=Former RSS Leader Tapan Ghosh Dies Of COVID-19|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/former-rss-leader-tapan-ghosh-dies-of-covid-19-2261570|access-date=2020-10-06|website=NDTV.com}}{{Cite web|date=2020-07-12|title=Hindu Samhati founder Tapan Ghosh passed away|url=https://www.sangbadpratidin.in/kolkata/hindu-samhati-founder-tapan-ghosh-passed-away-for-corona-virus/|access-date=2020-10-06|website=Sangbad Pratidin|language=bn}}