Sushil Kumar Dhara was a renowned freedom fighter and revolutionary of India. He was the founder of the former Tamralipta National Government which worked to keep away the British from the undivided Midnapore, for about two years 1942-44.
Sushil Kumar Dhara was born on 2 March 1911 at Tikarampur in Nandakumar of present Purba Midinipore District. His political activities commenced right from his school days. He completed his education from Vidyasagar College in the year 1937. Later, in 1940, he participated in the Satyagraha movement of Gandhiji. In August 1942 he played the lead role in launching an anti-British movement in undivided Midnapore. The movement helped to free Tamralipta from British rule and a free government was formed in this region on 17 December, 1942. Vidyut Bahini, of the parallel Government of Tamluk was also commanded by him. During the reign of British, Sushil Kumar Dhara spent 12 years and 4 months in prison.
Post independence, Sushil Kumar Dhara entered the political arena of India. He won several elections which also included the Mahishadal seat of West Bengal Assembly in 1962, 1967 and 1969. In 1962, he was the winner of the Assembly poll as a Congress candidate. He also created the Bangla Congress in the year 1966. In 1967, he had won the poll as a candidate of Bangla Congress. He also served the state government as `Industry and Commerce Minister`. In 1977, from the Tamluk constituency, he was elected to the Lok Sabha as a candidate of the Janata Party.
For Sushil Kumar Dhara is no common mortal, he was an imperative functionary of Tamralipta Jatiya Sarkar which is better known as Tamralipta National Government. This national government was formed during the 1942 August Movement. He was entrusted the portfolios of War and Home, and also commanded "Vidyut Bahini" (the lightning Brigade) of the parallel Government in Tamluk in colonial times. Sushil Kumar Dhara was again a minister of West Bengal in the late 60`s. An affirmed supporter and disciple of Mahatma Gandhi and a bachelor fully devoted to social service, Sushil Kumar Dhara was full of life and energy. He delights in making quick nostalgia of the past; though equally live to the trends of the modern times - the growth of Indian independent democracy, the challenges before the nation and above all, her march towards the twenty first century in a global economy too.
Sushil Kumar Dhara had a firm belief that the responsibilities of the nation must be undertaken by the young generation for the smooth functioning of democracy. He stepped back from politics in 1980s and involved himself actively in social work. This great revolutionary died on 28 January 2011, at the age of 100, owing to prolonged sickness.