Kolkata, Jun 1 (PTI) The induction of BJP MLA Dr Indranil Khan into the West Bengal ministry on Monday marked a new chapter for a family of doctors, with his parents and sister expressing pride as the physician-turned-politician
took oath as minister of state (independent charge).
Khan, who won the Behala Paschim assembly seat by a margin of 24,699 votes, comes from a family where medicine has been a tradition across generations.
His grandfather and father were doctors, while he, too, pursued a medical career before entering active politics.
His father, Dr C K Khan, who was present at his son's swearing-in ceremony at the Lok Bhavan on Monday, said he had always believed that his son would carve out a distinct identity for himself.
"I knew that he would do something good in life. There was something different in him from his childhood," he told PTI.
Recalling his son's early inclination towards politics, Dr Khan said there was no political background in the family.
"There was nothing political in our lives. After completing my studies, I focused more on practising and treating patients. I was associated with Bata Hospital before retiring and then joining the state health department. Then I joined Britannia on a part-time basis," he said.
Politics, however, became a passion for his son during his college days.
"My son has been very passionate about politics. He knew very well what he was doing. He has got an uncanny attitude of going deep into a thing with which he is engaged," he said.
Asked whether he too had desired a change in West Bengal's political landscape, the senior Khan said, "What everybody saw, I also realised the same. The need to change what had become atrocious for common people."
For Khan's mother, Dipali, Monday's development was a moment of joy mixed with surprise.
"I had hoped for something, but this was unexpected. Naturally, I am very happy today," she told PTI shortly after the swearing-in ceremony at Lok Bhavan.
She recalled her son's academic accomplishments and admitted that she had initially been apprehensive when he chose politics.
"He was very good at studies and did well in the Joint Entrance Examination. I was a bit worried when he joined politics, thinking it might hamper his profession as a doctor. But he managed a very good balancing act. He is very hardworking, which is why he is quite successful today," she said.
His elder sister Debarati, a joint BDO posted in Amdanga, said her younger brother had excelled in academics from an early age.
"Bhai (Brother) has been very good since childhood. Not only in studies but in everything. He was a rank-holder in his school. He cracked both medical and engineering entrance examinations and scored around 99 per cent in physics," she said.
Despite qualifying for both streams, he chose medicine, continuing a family tradition of doctors, she added.
"In our family, there is a history of doctors, starting from our grandfather and then my father. My brother joined politics during his college days, but that never hampered his studies. He reads a lot of books, mostly on politics," she said.
According to her, Khan successfully balanced his medical profession and political activities over the years.
"During the last four or five years, he has been handling both his profession and politics well. He did a lot of hard work, and that has paid off. We are so happy today," she added.
Speaking after taking the oath, Khan said he viewed his induction into the ministry as a major responsibility towards the people of the state.
"I have been entrusted with a very big responsibility towards the common people of West Bengal. We thank the people for giving this victory to the BJP," he said.
The newly inducted minister also thanked the party leadership for reposing faith in him.
"I am very grateful to my party and thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, and the state party president for giving me this responsibility," Khan said. PTI SCH MNB
