A man of his ward

Purkayasta,who has been a councillor for 20 years now,believes the duty of a municipal councillor does not stop at mere addressing of civic issues in his area. “It is to stand by the people through thick and thin,to play Good Samaritan,and to share their joy and sorrows.”

So,if he goes around in the morning helping fix a sewer line,in the evening,Purkayasta,who is still a ‘paper-setter’ of engineering of Jadavpur and Calcutta Universities,is teaching children the use of computers at a para cyber cafe.

He doesn’t stop here. The councillor arranges for counselling for candidates of the Joint Entrance and other competitive examinations. He provides books to children from poor families and also helps youngsters of his area find placement.

“I am from a family who are traditional supporters of the Congress. I am a close relative of Santosh Mohan Dev (noted Congress politician) but I was never involved in active politics. I am concerned only with the people of my area,they are my source of inspiration,’’ Purkayasta. 67,who is now a Category A Independent surveyor working for insurance companies,said sitting in his house at Dum Dum.

A sack of toys catches one’s attention. “What are these toys for?” one asks and gets an answer soon enough. A woman comes with her child for redressal of a problem and the councillor not only tries to solve her problem but gifts the child a toy.

Purkayasta even publishes a local newsletter called Apnar Khabar with his own money. The newsletter carries important information about the area that comes in handy for the residents. He also helps in the upkeep of several Hindu,Muslim and Christian shrines of the area.

The councillor,who was born in Pabna,now in Bangladesh,spent his childhood in Delhi studying in Raisina Bengali School. Thereafter,he came to Kolkata and them moved to Mumbai to work with companies of repute.

The councillor,known as ‘Bappada’ in the area,is also an accomplished actor having acted in Bengali films,TV serials,Bengali and Hindi plays.

“You live for man and die for man,that is my motto,’’ Purkayasta,whose wife Mridula is a gynaecologist of repute,signs off.