A serious family photograph

A serious family photograph
My father's family. The Datta family. Location either Delhi or Simla. Circa 1940

My father's family. The Datta family. Location either Delhi or Simla. Circa 1940 Image and Narrative contributed by Saugato Datta, London This photograph of my father’s family was taken in the courtyard of my grandfather’s government house on Irwin Road (now Baba Kharak Singh Marg,Delhi). Seated in the middle are my grandparents, Sailendraprasad Datta (1898-1956) and Bibhabati Datta (1906-1977). My grandfather was a civil servant and moved to New Delhi from Calcutta in the early 1920s. My grandmother was a housewife. She grew up in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. To the left of my grandfather is their eldest child, my aunt Uma Datta Roy Choudhury (1926-2009). She was a statistician, joining the Indian Statistical Service when it was founded after Independence, which was also the year she got her MA from St. Stephen’s College. She later consulted for UNDP and lived for many years in the then Czechoslovakia (Now Czech Republic and Slovakia) and later in Zimbabwe. To the right of the my grandmother, is my oldest uncle, Kalyan Kumar Datta (1928-1998). He was a pilot for Indian Airlines and lived in Calcutta. The little boy on the left is my father, Kamal Kumar Datta (born 1938). He studied Physics at Presidency College, Calcutta and Brandeis University in the US, and was a professor of Physics at Delhi University till he retired earlier this decade. The other kid on the right is his brother, Saroj Kumar Datta, (born 1936) who was also a Stephanian. He worked for many years in Air India, and has been with Jet Airways since it was founded. he currently works as Jet’s Executive Director. He’s still working, though he recently turned 75. The two youngest kids are apparently beaming because they were given books to entice them to sit still for the…

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An art directed image of close friends

An art directed image of close friends
My mother Chandan Patel (middle), with her friends, one of whom is Manixi Bhakta (right), Calcutta, West Bengal. 1970

My mother Chandan Patel (middle), with her friends, one of whom is Manixi Bhakta (right), Calcutta, West Bengal. 1970 Image and Narrative contributed by Mitul Patel, Texas, USA This picture was taken on a school trip to Calcutta in 1970. My mother Chandan Patel's best friend Manixi (right) suffered cancer and passed away in Memphis a few years ago. My father, mother and I now live in Rockdale, Texas. We now run and own a hotel, Best Western - Rockdale Inn. My mother is the Vice President, my father, Jawahar Patel is the CEO, and I am Director of Operations.

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The seven brothers in order of height

The seven brothers in order of height
My grandparents with my father and his brothers. Shyambajar, Calcutta, West Bengal. 1943

My grandparents with my father and his brothers. Shyambajar, Calcutta, West Bengal. 1943 . Digitally Coloured in Year 2009 Image and Narrative contributed by Shubhodeep Das, Bengaluru "This photograph was taken by a hired photographer on the terrace of the house, which was probably 100 years old at that time. The arrangement of all the boys in a descending order of height has always amused me. They were a family of seven brothers. Brothers -Left to Right - Late Sri Prithwish Kumar Das, studied engineering and design in Glasgow and settled in Calgary, Canada. Sri Pijush Kumar Das, studied and ventured into the banking sector. He is retired now and settled in Kolkata. Dr. Priyotosh Das studied medicines in Kolkata and later settled in UK. Till date he visits Kolkata every year. Dr. Prodosh Das worked for the West Bengal Government and is now retired and settled in Kolkata. Late Sri Pronobesh Kumar Das went on to become a painter, he never married and lived all his life in Kolkata. Prof. Prabir Kumar Das still teaches engineering as a part time lecturer in Kolkata. My father, Sri Pradip Kumar Das, served in the Indian Ariforce from 1961 till 89, retired and settled in Kolkata. Till date, all remaining brothers are in touch, they get together and do travel together for fun, at least once a year."

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