Himangshu Mohan Chowdhury, Tripura’s first Padma Shri awardee and a retired civil servant, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 84. He is survived by two daughters, as his wife passed away three years ago.
Chowdhury played a crucial role in helping refugees during the Bangladesh Liberation War when he was posted as SDO Sonamura. Over 2.5 lakh Bangladeshis had come to Tripura to escape the war, and Chowdhury had set up tents and temporary kitchens to provide shelter and food to them. His relentless service and administrative leadership ensured that despite the massive burden of refugees, the health and hygiene, food supplies, and water supplies remained normal till the end of the war. He also helped the Indian army as well as Mukti Bahini fighters in various ways during his tenure as SDO.
Chowdhury was responsible for sheltering the wife of the then Bangladesh Provincial government’s Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmad and others when they crossed over the border during the war. For his extraordinary service during the Bangladesh Liberation War as a civil servant, Chowdhury was nominated by the Indian Army for the Padma Shri, one of the highest civilian awards in India. The Bangladesh government also honored him as an “outstanding friend of Bangladesh.” At the age of 28, Chowdhury became the youngest Padmashree awardee, a record that was later broken by Sachin Tendulkar. He was also felicitated by the Bangladesh government.
Later in his career, Chowdhury went on to become an IAS officer and served in the Finance Ministry, where he was also the Director. He was known to be a favorite officer of the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who was well aware of his contributions to the Bangladesh Liberation War and efficient handling of administrative matters during that sensitive and crucial time.
The news of Chowdhury’s passing was met with widespread condolences from Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, and many others who expressed sympathy to the bereaved family. Chowdhury’s legacy as a dedicated public servant and compassionate human being will undoubtedly live on, and his passing is a loss not only to his family but to the wider community he served so selflessly.
