Nitun Kundu A multi-dimensional personality

Artist Nitun Kundu, or 'dear Nitun Da' to many of us, was not merely a visual artist but also an exceptional character in the society of artists. We saw in him a combination of artist, engineer, architect and a patriotic soul. There is only one Nitun Kundu who, I am sure, shall be remembered for his invaluable, unique works.
Nitun Kundu proved his brilliance when he was a student of the Art College. He was appreciated by his teachers as his works were widely discussed on the campus. He was adjudged the best student at the fag end of his college life -- an accomplishment which showed the foundation of his learning and dedication to work.
He was the embodiment of a talent who rose from a humble background, coming from Dinajpur, almost as an unemployed youth. He became a disciple of Subhash Dutta (subsequently a famous cinema director) and learned how to paint banners for movies. In Dhaka, that was Nitun Kundu's livelihood as he struggled to continue his studies. He stood first class first in the final examinations. He wanted to become a teacher but could not fulfill his dream due to communal attitude of the erstwhile Pakistan government. At that time, a lot of professionals migrated to India on communal grounds but Nitun Kundu declined to do so. He said to his friends: "I will stay here and see what happens."
In fact, he established himself as a creative entrepreneur. Today, Nitun Kundu is well known for his accomplishments, and his institution, Otobi, is a household name in brand furniture.
Still, the path of success was not a smooth one. Artist Nitun Kundu earned a reputation for painting, drawing and illustration. His works bore marks of his creative distinction. He was the pioneer in developing quality designs on crests and trophies, which is a thriving business nowadays. The trophies and crests of official awards of the government bear the aesthetic sense of Nitun Kundu.
He had once worked in the United States Information Service (USIS) in Bangladesh and even in such an atmosphere he showed his talent in creative art. When Neil Armstrong and his colleagues came to Dhaka, a Nitun Kundu-made structure displaying the moon and the orbit amazed the spectators.
The artist joined the country's progressive movements. It was he who prepared the placards and banners carried by many processions during the Ayub Khan's regime. He was one of the few artists who took part in the decoration of the Shaheed Minar premises. He always extended a helping hand to cultural activities and was biased towards the left and progressive politics, although he was never actively involved in politics.
Nitun Kundu played an important part in our glorious War of Liberation. He served in the information and publicity wing of the Bangladesh government in exile. He often painted posters, giving important messages of the Liberation War. A major work by him, 'Shabash (Bravo) Bangladesh,' at Rajshahi University campus depicts the greatness of the Liberation War. He had a knack for making fountain-like art works as reflected in the 'Saarc Fountain' near Sonargaon Hotel and 'Kadom Phool Foara' near the Foreign Affairs Ministry -- two great creations by him.
After independence, Nitun Kundu, like many others, was looking for new opportunities and finally started Otobi, his dream venture, in 1975. It was then like a cottage unit set up in a corrugated iron sheet house in Dhaka city's Topkhana Road area. Since then, Nitun Kundu never looked back. Following a huge demand for furniture, he had to set up factories in Mirpur and Shyampur. There are many showrooms of Otobi in Dhaka and elsewhere, and it has engaged innumerable dealers. Making and selling of furniture has become a big business and industry today as many others followed the path of Nitun Kundu, who was a workaholic by nature.
He once wanted to retire from the company's activities to focus on his painting, giving the responsibility to his son Animesh and daughter Amity, both of whom had just come back home after studying abroad. But he suddenly left the world forever on this day, leaving behind near and dear ones to recall him for his great works.

The writer is a media activist.