My great grandfather Dr. Nalinaksha Sanyal: freedom fighter, politician, economist, businessman, sportsman.

He was a tough guy. A poor village kid who won a scholarship to LSE in 1920s, was as part of Bagha Jantin's Jugantar group, Nazrul Islam's best friend, brought into Congress by CR Das, was arrested for the Bina Das case, Chief Whip of Bengal Congress, and helped found West Bengal

As an aside, his elder brother Anadi Kanta Sanyal was a member of the original Anushilan Samiti of Barin Ghosh. He was tortured to death in Rangpur jail circa 1910 leaving behind a pregnant wife. The child died of illness at age of 5 years but the lady lived to see independence

NS's wife wife Mamoni (Tunu) was a character in her own right. She used to secretly practice pistol shooting with Bina Das in what is now Hindustan Rd, Ballygunge. Let's say she got into big trouble when Bina attempted to kill the Governor.

Both of them lived till the 80s and I remember them well. Mamoni was always gentle and NS suffered no fools - not even a 10 year old great grandson. But he appreciated intellectual pursuits and brutal honesty. Even in his 80s he liked risky physical sports like high board diving

One of the curiosities of history is that in his old age he tried to use his old Jugantar experience to create a network of youth clubs called Bratachari (his friend Gurusaday Dutta set it up) to wean youth from Naxalism to more nationalist activities. No idea if still exists