Jamshedpur, Jan. 13: The cultural fraternity in the steel city suffered a huge loss with the death of Niroo Chatterjee, who passed away after a massive cardiac arrest at 10.30 last night.
Fondly called as “Nirooda”, Chatterjee was a familiar name in households with cultural interests.
He was associated with several organisations in the steel city. His humility and smiling face made him an extremely accessible veteran thespian.
Born on September 12, 1936, Chatterjee completed his schooling from KMPM and moved to Santiniketan for higher studies.
He returned to Jamshedpur with bachelor and master degrees and joined Calcutta Chemicals as the resident in-charge of the undivided Bihar.
Son of Tata Steel employee and freedom fighter Nirmal, Niroo was the general secretary of the cultural pillar of the city, The Milanee.
He was also associated with Bengal Club, Tagore Society, Udayan Sangha, Milan Sangha and Nikhil Banga Sahitya Sammelan. Chatterjee played a major role in giving the burning ghats, Parvati Ghat, its present shape.
Chatterjee was a patron of the Jharkhand Bengali Samiti, the president of Jamshedpur Association (Ghasi Club) and a senior member of Jamshedpur Theatre Association.
“He was a very well dressed man, a connoisseur of fine taste, coupled with an eye for perfection,” said Alpana Bhattacharjee, an old member of The Milanee and a theatre enthusiast.
Chatterjee stayed alone on the premises of the Milanee Hall in Bistupur from 1983. He had undergone a heart bypass surgery in 2005, after which he was not keep well.
“Come what may, he never let us know that he was in physical pain,” said an official at The Milanee.
“Another special thing about him was the fact that he kept himself occupied with some cultural programme or the other,” he added.
“All I can say that it is a great loss to our city and our cultural front. The kind of enthusiasm he had at his age was remarkable,” said Ashis Choudhury, the general secretary of Tagore Society.
The Milanee would organise a tribute for Chatterjee on the evening of January 16.
