Santosh Bhattacharyya (1 November 1924 – 10 March 2011)[1] was a Bengali Indian scholar, who served as a Vice Chancellor of the University of Calcutta, in Kolkata, India.
He taught economics at the University of Calcutta in two phases: 1952–60, and later from 1968 to 1983. He chaired the department (1970–80), and became dean of the faculty of arts (1973–77).[3]
He was Senior Economic Affairs Officer at the Development Planning Centre in the United Nations at New York (1966–68), member of the Tariff Commission, Government of India (1974–75), Chairman of several Pay Committees under West Bengal government during 1977–80.[3]
As a student, Bhattacharyya was a full member of the erstwhile Communist Party of India, and later continued as an active sympathizer of the parent party till he parted ways as a believer in market economy following the changes in China.[3]
As a vice chancellor of the University of Calcutta (1983–1987), he was victimized for his apolitical stance and public criticism of the policies and practices of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) led Left Front regime (1977–2011) that interfered with the autonomy of the university.[4]
