Haridas Mitra

Haridas Mitra (24 February 1914 – 20 April 1992) was an Indian independence activist, politician, spy, trade unionist and educator. He was an organiser of the secret service of the Indian National Army during World War II and was sentenced to death by the British authorities. After Independence he was elected multiple times to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. He served as the Deputy Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1967–1968 and in 1972–1977.

Biography Haridas Mitra was born in Jessore on 24 February 1914 to Jogendra Nath Mitra, an active Indian National Congress worker and member of the Bengal Legislative Council. Haridas Mitra worked as the Joint Managing Director of the Jessore Central Co-operative Bank between 1939 and 1942. After the establishment of the Interim Government of India, Mitra was unconditionally released in December 1946 on Gandhi's insistence. He was arrested during the 1958 and 1959 refugee movements. He won the Chakdah seat in the 1967 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, standing as the Bangla Congress candidate and obtaining 20,761 votes (42.11%). He served as the Deputy Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly between 1967 and 1968.

He returned to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly election in the 1972 election. After the election he was again elected Deputy Speaker, serving in the role between 24 March 1972 to 30 April 1977. Haridas Mitra died on 20 April 1992.