Pranab Mukherjee left the institute, some 30 km from Kolkata, to join politics in 1968.
Amtala:
Former president Pranab Mukherjee had never forgotten Bidyanagar College in South 24 Parganas district where he had taught political science and history for five years in the 60s, his former colleague said.
Mr Mukherjee’s former colleague Prodyot Mondal said on Tuesday, he was very punctual and became popular among students for his command over Indian Constitution, knowledge of historical events and his simplicity.
The former president had taught at the college located in Amtala between 1963 and 1968. For some time, he was also the acting principal of the college.
Mr Mukherjee left the institute, some 30 km from Kolkata, to join politics in 1968.
Mr Mondal recalled how Mukherjee would stay back at the college when it became too late after his special classes got over in the evening.
The former president would return to Howrah, where he used to stay, after taking regular classes on the following day.
“He had not forgotten his days in the college, This was his humility. He never forgot his rots,” Mr Mondal said.
The college, which had started with 50 students in arts stream in 1963, has grown in stature over the years having around 2,200 students in science, humanities and commerce streams, because of Mukherjee, his former colleague said.
Local panchayat leader and Mr Mukherjee’s former student Swapan Roy said, “He (Pranab Mukherjee) was always close to his students. He impressed us as a teacher and we remember him for his simplicity and knowledge.”
Principal of the college Surya Prakash Agarwal said, Mr Mukherjee was in regular touch with the college authorities even before imposition of lockdown.
“He came to the college when he was the Union finance minister in 2011 to attend a seminar. In January 2013 when he was the president, he laid the foundations of three new buildings, for which UGC had granted Rs 10.23 crore,” Mr Agarwal said.
Taking time off his busy schedule, he inaugurated the three buildings in 2016 when he spoke about his association with the place.
Though he could not come back again, his son Abhijit Mukherjee had visited the college some months back and sent photos of the college to his father, Mr Agarwal said.
The former president wanted to visit the college this year.
Mr Mukherjee was brought to the college by Bangla Congress leader Harendranath Majumder during a programme at Bharat Sabha Hall Library. Majumder was a governing body member of the institute.
The former president was also a teacher at Tajpur MN Roy Instution in Amta area of Howrah district where he had taught for less than a year.
He went to the Amta college again in December 2017 at a function, months after the end of his tenure at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
