Historian Hari Sankar Vasudevan dies of Covid-19 in Kolkata

An official of the private hospital said he was admitted on May 4 and tested positive the next day. He had been on ventilator since May 6. On Saturday night, he suffered two cardiac attacks.

Noted historian Hari Sankar Vasudevan died of Covid-19 at a private hospital near his residence at Salt Lake on the eastern outskirts of Kolkata around 12.40am on Sunday. He was 68 and is survived by his wife, historian Tapati Guha Thakurta.

Hari Sankar Vasudevan was the director of China Centre of the Calcutta University. Earlier, he served as the director of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Kolkata, of the ministry of culture. (Sourced)

Vasudevan was an expert on European and Russian history and India-Russia relationship. He was a professor at Calcutta University. He graduated from Cambridge University, where he also completed his post-graduation and PhD. He authored many books.

An official of the private hospital said he was admitted on May 4 and tested positive the next day. He had been on ventilator since May 6. On Saturday night, he suffered two cardiac attacks.

Vasudevan was the director of China Centre of the Calcutta University. Earlier, he served as the director of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Kolkata, of the ministry of culture.

Between 2003 and 2005, Vasudevan was a professor at Central Asian Studies and acting director at the Academy of Third World Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi.

Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankar offered his condolence to Vasudevan’s family on Sunday.