Founder of the Confederation of Indian Organisations Tarakumar Mukherjee breathed his last on 11 February, 2016, at the age of 92. He had travelled to Leicester, Britain from Calcutta in 1948, to play for the County Cricket Club. Giving up his dream to go back to India, he married Lady Patricia in 1951, and settled down initially in Leicester, and later, Brentwood. He founded CIO in 1975, on the suggestion of the then Indian ambassador to Britain, B.K. Nehru. With the help of the institution, he has contributed widely to the country's race relations.
He fought continuously for the abolition of the government's institutions on disability, women and race relations, instead substitute them with a single organisation called the Equal Opportunities Commission. The government had eventually yielded to his proposal. Mukherjee constantly rendered towards the interests of the immigrants, and worked to make the CIO's views in par with their interests from 1975 to 1996. He also founded the European Multicultural Foundation (EMF) and launched a campaign to work for the welfare of the coloured citizens of Europe.
At the 40th anniversary of CIO last year, Lord Navneet Dhodakia had said, “CIO stands first for the welfare of the coloured citizens of this country. Tara Mukherjee, Kanti Nagda, and CB Patel were the three main people who went to the political meetings and gave a voice to the people of colour.” He remained the president of CIO and EMF till he breathed his last. His passing away is a great loss to both the organisations.
