The body of Amit being brought out of a Siliguri nursing home on its way to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem. A Telegraph picture

Oct. 26: Amit Agarwal, a graduate from London School of Law, leaves behind many unfulfilled dreams.

Most ambitious among them, probably, was the one about setting up a five-star resort and amusement park at Kanchaan View Tea Estate in Darjeeling. But there were a number of other projects that his company, the Terai Group, planned to undertake over the next few months under his stewardship.

The 30-year-old youth had become a prominent face among new-generation entrepreneurs in north Bengal. He was appreciated for not only shouldering the responsibility of the huge business founded by his father Ajit Agarwal, but also for his strategic expansions into the fields of tea, real estate and tourism.

“His sudden demise has come as a shock to the company and its members and staff,” A.A. Chatterjee, the Terai Group’s chief executive, said today. “We had several new investment plans in north Bengal and Sikkim in the coming months. But we are worried about working without his guidance now.”

The projects, apart from the five-star resort, include a state-of-the-art multiplex with shopping mall and integrated housing complex in Siliguri, a ferro-alloy plant in Sikkim and housing schemes on the outskirts of Siliguri

The Group owns eight tea estates — Chungtung and Kanchaan View in Darjeeling, Bagdogra, Saidabad, Sachindrachandra and Lohagarh in the Terai and Raja and Jaldhaka-Altadanga in the Dooars — and five bought-leaf factories in the Terai and Dooars. Around 10,000 workers serve in these units, Chatterjee said.

“Hundreds of them have called us to express their support for Amit’s family,” an official of the group said.

The young industrialist’s career had a few blots too. Tea industry sources revealed that Amit had spent a few days behind bars about six years ago, when he was arrested with his father under Tada.

Amit’s handling of the Chungtung tea garden near Darjeeling was also controversial. A 45-day closure earlier this year had led to the suicide of Baburam Dewan, a social activist and former worker of the garden.

However, with the untimely death of the commerce graduate from Darjeeling’s St Joseph’s College, stakeholders of the industry appeared keen to overlook the past.

“As an ace industrialist in north Bengal’s tea belt, Amit was equally known for his initiatives to hold dialogues with ministers and officials over key issues of the industry,” said Prabir Seal, the president of North Bengal Tea Producers’ Association.

Small tea growers, many of whom regularly met him to work out day-to-day problems in their sector, also expressed grief.

“It is hard to believe that he is not going to sit with us in meetings any more. His demise is a huge loss to the industry,” said Bijoygopal Chakrobarty, the convener of United Forum of Small Tea Growers’ Association.

“Whenever we met, he would pat me on the back and ask for supply of better quality tealeaves. His informal approach had made him popular among the small growers,” said Nitai Majumdar, the secretary of North Bengal Small Tea Planters’ Association.