The news that Mani Shankar Mukherjee had breathed his last did not strike Sanjib Chattopadhyay as a sharp stab. At the other end of the phone, Chattopadhyay, Sankar’s contemporary and friend, gathered himself and said: “Does it really matter whether Mani-da lived till 92? He will continue to live.”Chattopadhyay spoke of his Mani-da not with grief, but with acceptance and deep admiration. “You name it — fame, reputation, social standing and from the point of view of a litterateur, Mani-da lived a complete life. His spectrum was vast...”The trio — Sankar, Chattopadhyay, and Sankari Prasad Basu — often met for addas, discussing literature, life, spirituality and philosophy.

Source: The Telegraph February 21, 2026 01:50 UTC