Debsita Dar is a student activist and leader of the CPI(M). She rose up during the protests and led coronavirus relief efforts through the Red Volunteer Network.
Deepsita Dhar is an Indian politician and student activist associated with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and national leader of the Students’ Union of India. Born on August 9, 1993 in Howrah, West Bengal, she began her organizational journey through the Kishore Bahini Children’s Group and steadily rose through student politics to become All India Joint Secretary of SFI. Her academic background, including postgraduate studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, has shaped her engagement with issues of education, inequality and youth rights.
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It is known for its combination of political activism and grassroots work. From participating in large-scale protests in West Bengal to organizing relief during the COVID-19 pandemic, her work reflects a focus on youth mobilization, social justice and public well-being. She also entered electoral politics, contesting as a CPI(M) candidate in the elections.
5 Key Facts about Dipseta Dhar
- Depsita Dhar played a crucial role in instigating Nabanna, a major protest movement in West Bengal led by students and youth demanding employment opportunities and access to education. Her participation highlighted her focus on unemployment and systemic issues affecting the younger generation.
- Dhar actively participated in the protests that followed the killing of Iranian Communist Party activist Midol Islam Meda. In doing so, it has raised concerns about political violence and accountability, positioning itself within movements addressing democratic rights and the safety of political workers.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, she has been instrumental in organizing the “Red Volunteers” network, a civic action group that provides essential services such as medicines, oxygen supplies, home-cooked meals and sanitary napkins. This initiative has become widely recognized for filling critical gaps in public support systems.
- She contested from Pali constituency in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections against Rana Chatterjee and Bishali Dalmia. Her campaign focused on issues such as hunger, education as a basic right, and youth employment. Despite support from figures like Kafeel Khan and Rahul Banerjee, she lost by more than 30,000 votes, getting around 16.2% of the votes, but gained recognition as an emerging Left leader.
- She contested the 2024 general elections from Serampur as a CPI(M) candidate in a three-way contest against Kalyan Banerjee (TMC) and Kabir Shankar Bose. The seat was won by Kalyan Banerjee, while Dhar finished behind both the main rivals, polling over 2.3 lakh votes but losing the election.
Aditi Anand is an undergraduate student studying English at Miranda House, University of Delhi, with an interest in media and the changing dynamics of public discourse. She is particularly interested in how narratives are shaped, distributed, and received in contemporary spaces. Her work is based on close observation and interaction with everyday life, often examining the intersections between personal experiences and broader social contexts. She is drawn to questions of sound and representation and the ways in which perception is influenced by language and environment. Outside the newsroom, she is interested in literature and enjoys writing poetry, treating it as a space for creative thinking and exploration alongside her analytical work. Her writing aims to strike a balance between clarity and precision, with an emphasis on presenting ideas in an accessible way while still dealing with their complexity. She approaches writing with intention and attention, with the goal of contributing meaningfully to conversations while still developing a thoughtful, grounded voice.Read more
