Remembering Debashis Chakraborty

Dear Friends,

It is with great sadness that we announce the unfortunate news of the demise of one of our revered stalwarts, our esteemed veteran member, Debashis Chakraborty.

Debashis Chakraborty, 61, of Bridgewater, Massachusetts left us on February 29, 2024. He passed in the love and company of his wife, Ananya and two daughters, Rupita and Puja. Debashis was born to Captain Niranjan and Mira Chakraborty on April 23, 1962, in Burnpur, Asansol, West Bengal, India. After attending Calcutta Boys’ School, he was inspired by his father, a captain in the merchant navy, to attend Indian Maritime University (D.M.E.T) in Kolkata. He finally settled in the Boston area in the early 1990s after spending about eight years working in Kenya.

Debashis started his career in coffee distribution and went on to become a small business owner and entrepreneur in the Greater Boston area, establishing several successful restaurants and coffee shops. He developed innovative ideas like hosting poetry recitals at his cafés and championed healthy food, even winning the Boston Best Bites Award, a recognition given to businesses for serving healthy food that was featured in the Boston Globe.

Above all, Debashis defined himself as a father. He attended every soccer practice, dance rehearsal, and gymnastic meet. He instilled kindness, work ethic, and leadership in them—with far more rigor than his fun-loving demeanor would suggest. Once, when Rupita lost a seventh-grade spelling bee, Debashis asked her to review her work and identify the root causes of her mistakes. “Analyze your process and try to understand the reasons for your loss,” he said. But he didn’t get upset about the loss or judge her in any way. In fact, it was Debashis’s tender heart that made him a good parent. He was the kind of parent to whom a child could confess all their mistakes, fears, and anxieties without fear of reprimand or scolding. He was a source of constant safety and protection for his wife and daughters.

Debashis and Mita met in high school, and he worked hard to marry her. It was worth the effort—they have been married for 36 years. She likes to say that he is the only one who could make her laugh. He could handle their daughters’ problems in stride and inject ordinary moments with laughter and joy.

After his family, Debashis’s next great passion was football, Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, and the Patriots. He fully enjoyed the dynasty era with many Super Bowl parties, tailgates at Gillette Stadium, and constant in-game texting with his friends discussing the fate of his favorite team.

Debashis was active in the Bengali community, serving in various official capacities for Prabasi of New England, including as Vice President of the Executive Committee and Prabasi Board of Trustees member. For many years, he generously sponsored the coffee station at Durga Puja, which gave the necessary caffeine boost to the attending public.

In addition to his wife and two daughters, Debashis leaves behind his mother Mira Chakraborty, younger brother Manish Chakraborty, and younger sister Soma Mallik.

His life will be celebrated on March 4, 2024, at 9 am at Dyer-Lake Funeral Home, 161 Commonwealth Avenue, Village of Attleboro Falls, North Attleboro.

Funeral Arrangements/Details:

His death is a profound loss for us all. We extend our deepest condolences to his family. May his soul rest in peace.

With regards,

Prabasi Executive Committee