Satish Chandra Samanta was a renowned activist and the member of the Lok Sabha from the period of 1952 to 1957. He was born on 15th December 1900 in Mahishadal. His life was immensely influenced by Swami Prajnanananda Saraswati, his Guru. He opted for a life of Brahmacharya at the age of 15 and involved himself in serving the people.
Satish Chandra Samanta joined the freedom struggle of India at a very young age. For this, he also left his higher education incomplete and quitted Shibpur Engineering College in his second year of study. He participated in various activities organized by the Indian National Congress`s local branch and served the country through them. He was also elected as the president of Tamluk Congress Committee and for about a decade worked as an active member of Congress.
Satish Chandra Samanta was known for his remarkable constructive and leadership qualities. In Tamluk, Tamralipta Jatiya Sarkar, also known as Tamrlipta National Government, was a parallel government founded by him during the Quit India Movement. His excellent leadership skills were witnessed in the organization. Formed on 17 December 1942, the body was initially looked after by Satish Chandra Samanta until he was arrested in June, 1943.
The organization remained active till September 1944 and important activities like cyclone relief work, providing grants to the schools and organization of an armed Vidyut Vahini were undertaken by it. Samanta was also the founder of Haldia Dock and his contributions for its development have helped Haldia to emerge as one of the most preferred industrial areas of West Bengal.
Apart from politics, Satish Chandra Samanta was also involved in social work. He worked with people for the improvement of civic health. He also took up activities like cleaning blocked ponds and roads for the prevention of malaria, arranging free medical camps, nursing patients suffering from cholera, providing training to the volunteers and educating the backward classes. He remained a Member of Parliament, post independence, for about three decades. In 1952, Samanta was elected to the 1st Lok Sabha from Tamluk constituency. Later, in the years 1957, 1962, 1967 and 1971, he was re-elected from the same constituency to the Lok Sabha. This great soul left for heavenly abode on 4 June 1983.
