Mohun Bagan stalwart Tutu Bose dies at 80 after cardiac arrest
Swapan Sadhan Bose, widely known as Tutu Bose and regarded as one of the most influential figures in Kolkata’s sporting circles, passed away at the age of 80 on Tuesday night after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Family members said the Kolkata businessman and media entrepreneur was admitted to a hospital in South Kolkata following a heart attack and was placed on ventilator support before he passed away.
Pillar of Mohun Bagan
Tutu Bose was closely associated with Mohun Bagan Athletic Club for decades and played a defining role in shaping the institution’s modern era.
He served both as Secretary and later President of the club, becoming one of its longest-serving administrators and a towering presence in Indian football administration.
Many supporters and former players considered him the backbone of Mohun Bagan during several transformative years.
Key contributions to club growth
Bose was credited with several landmark decisions that changed the trajectory of the club.
Among them was the signing of Chima Okorie, one of the most iconic foreign footballers to play in India, whose arrival boosted Mohun Bagan’s stature.
He was also seen as an important figure behind the merger of Mohun Bagan with ATK, creating a new chapter in the club’s history.
Business interest
Swapan Sadhan Bose, apart from being a prominent sports administrator, built a diversified business empire spanning logistics, media and broadcasting.
In business, he has been associated with cargo-handling and port operations through Ripley & Company, and also expanded into media ventures such as Bengali newspaper Sangbad Pratidin and radio businesses in Dubai.
Through Radio Asia, which includes Malayalam-language AM and FM stations as well as Hindi, Urdu, Tamil and Malayalam services, he catered to the large Indian diaspora in West Asia.
His media interests predate this expansion. In the early 1990s, he diversified into print media by acquiring the Bengali newspaper Sangbad Pratidin in 1992. He also launched the Kolkata edition of The Asian Age in the mid-1990s, later exiting the venture by selling a majority stake.
During this period, he was also associated with the acquisition of a majority stake in Niramoy Polyclinic (now AMRI Hospitals), along with businessman S K Todi, before later divesting his holdings.
Political career
Beyond sports administration,Bose’s political journey saw a significant shift over the years. He was initially considered close to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) during his early career and was believed to have business associations with individuals linked to the then Left establishment in West Bengal.
In the early 2000s, Bose shifted his political alignment to the All India Trinamool Congress. He went on to become a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha in 2005.
Later, his son Srinjoy Bose also entered politics and represented the Trinamool Congress in the Rajya Sabha from 2011.
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