Kanchan Kumar, long-time participant in Left political cultural movements, passes away

By Harsh Thakor*

Cultural activist and translator Kanchan Kumar passed away at 12 noon on November 29 at the age of 90. Kumar was known for translating political and revolutionary literature into Bengali from languages including Telugu, Tamil and Punjabi. He was active in literary and cultural movements associated with left ideological streams in India.

Throughout his life, Kumar expressed strong positions on several political events. He wrote poetry and articles supporting the legacy of Naxalbari and Maoist ideological thought, criticising the demolition of the Babri Masjid, the violence during the 2002 Gujarat riots, the arrests following the Bhima Koregaon incident, and policies such as NPR and NRC. He also opposed state action in Kashmir, the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and Israeli military operations in Gaza. Despite age-related illness, he continued to participate in events criticising restrictions on dissent and the incarceration of Professor G.N. Saibaba, and addressing issues related to Operation Kagaar.

During the period of the Naxalbari movement in 1967–68, Kumar translated writings on the ideological and cultural direction of the movement into Hindi. He later relocated to Delhi after clashes involving right-wing groups, along with journalist Gorakh Pandey.

Kumar served as editor of the Hindi literary journal Aumukh, which published writing aligned with Marxist–Leninist and Maoist perspectives. The journal focused on themes such as class oppression, globalisation, caste-related discrimination, and political repression, while also publishing material on the Chinese Revolution.

He was a founding member of the All-India League for Revolutionary Culture (AILRC), formed in 1983, and served as joint secretary. The organisation was active through the 1980s before declining after the 1990s due to state restrictions and internal challenges.

In 2004, after meeting Kenyan writer Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, Kumar returned to Kolkata and continued translation work and documentation on political movements in Telangana and on caste-related and ideological issues. In 2014 he recorded an interview with Arjun Prasad Singh, discussing his experiences and views against what he described as state repression. He translated works including Satnam’s Jangalnama and wrote poems addressing political themes, including those related to Maoist leader Kishenji.

Kanchan Kumar is regarded as having been involved in the development of left cultural movements in India over several decades.

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*Freelance journalist

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