Sumit Sarkar, the historian who didn’t lose hope

Sumit Sarkar, who passed away on August 13 at the age of 87, was a great historian and a lovely human being. This reporter was privileged to know him through a personal connection, as his wife Piyali Chakravartty was a childhood friend since their childhood. Their friendship deepened over the years, and they spent time together in Paris, Delhi, and France.

Sumit was a vast store of knowledge on various topics and always brought humor to any discussion, even on serious matters. He remained a Marxist throughout his life despite the unpopularity of that ideology. Sumit was also a contributor to Subaltern Studies but later parted ways with the group when they adopted postmodernism and postcoloniality.

He believed in the feasibility of "history from below," but his illusions about recovering the voices of the downtrodden diminished over time. The collapse of the socialist bloc and the Left saddened him, but he retained hope that things would eventually correct themselves. He was particularly concerned about the rise of Hindutva Hindu nationalism and its threat to Indian society and democracy.

In his last years, Sumit faced physical ailments but remained lucid and full of laughter, until his last meeting with the reporter in Leamington Spa, England.