Kolkata: Renowned painter and former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jogen Chowdhury passed away on Sunday. He was 87 years old. According to family sources, he breathed his last on Sunday morning. He was suffering from blood cancer and a urinary tract infection and was undergoing treatment at a Kolkata hospital.
According to hospital sources, Jogen Chowdhury had been battling cancer for the past 14 months and was undergoing chemotherapy. On October 16, his health deteriorated on the day of Shashthi, after which he was admitted to the hospital. His condition was critical at the time of admission. He also showed symptoms of sepsis due to the infection. When his condition worsened on Saturday, he was put on a ventilator.
Interested in painting since childhood
Jogen Chowdhury was born on February 16, 1939, in Daharpara village, Faridpur district, British India. His father, Pramathanath Choudhary, was a landlord, while his mother was an expert in the traditional art of Alpana. Alpana involves creating decorative paintings on walls and floors. It was his mother’s art that sparked Jogen Choudhary’s interest in painting.
During the Partition of India, his family moved to Kolkata, where he began his art education. He worked as a drawing teacher at the Howrah District School. In 1962, he joined the Kolkata Handloom Board as a designer.
Pursued Higher Education in Paris
In 1965, Jogen Choudhary went to Paris for higher education. He also served as a curator at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Art Gallery.
His paintings, which satirized politics and society, earned him special recognition. His art was also influenced by Indian and European art movements. He was also involved in artistic designs based on various themes during Durga Puja.
In 2017, he sketched the Behala Nutan Dal Durga Puja idol. Additionally, he was the designer of the public Durga Puja idol at Thakurpukur State Bank Park for a year.
Sent to Rajya Sabha by Trinamool Congress
In 2014, the then Trinamool Congress government of West Bengal elected Jogen Chowdhury to the Rajya Sabha. He held this position until 2020.
For his contributions to the field of art, he was honored with numerous awards and honors, both domestically and internationally. His passing has sent shockwaves through the art world.