Rohit K. Dasgupta Explained

Honorific-Prefix:Cllr Dr
Rohit K. Dasgupta
Known For:Queer Politics, South Asian Studies, Cultural Industries, Labour Politics
Birth Place:Kolkata, India
Nationality:British
Alma Mater:University of the Arts London, University of Westminster, Jadavpur University
Profession:Academic, Politician
Party:Labour Party, Co-operative Party

Rohit K. Dasgupta is an academic in the School of Culture and Creative Arts at the University of Glasgow[1] and a British Labour Party politician.[2] Prior to this he was based at the Institute for Media and Creative Industries at Loughborough University.[3] In 2018 he was elected Councillor in the London Borough of Newham for the Canning Town South Ward.[4] [5] He was re-elected for the same ward again in 2022 [6] He contested the Parliamentary seat of East Hampshire for the Labour Party in 2017, coming second with an increase of 7% vote share.[7] He is also Secretary of the Newham Branch of the Fabian Society.[8] In 2019 he was selected as an MEP candidate for the South East region (5th on the list) but failed to get elected.[9] Dasgupta is also a member of Labour's National Policy Forum and sits on the Work, Pensions and Equality Policy Commission.[10]

Background

Dasgupta gained a BA degree in Comparative Literature from Jadavpur University, India, then graduated MA in English from the University of Westminster, PGCE from the University of West London, and PhD from the University of the Arts.[3]

Political career

He was elected as a Labour and Co-operative party Councillor in the London Borough of Newham for the Canning Town South Ward in the 2018 United Kingdom Local elections.[4] [5] [11] Following his election he was appointed Commissioner for Social Integration and Equalities in Newham since 2019 by the Mayor. He had previously contested the East Hampshire parliamentary seat in the General election, coming second with 17% of the vote share.[12] Dasgupta is also the Chair of his local Labour party branch[13] and Secretary of the Newham Fabian Society.[14] He was one of the first Bengalis from West Bengal, India to contest the British Parliamentary elections.[15] [16] [17] Dasgupta is also a member of BAME Labour, Labour Movement for Europe, Fabian Society, GMB and UCU. In 2018 he was elected on to the national committee of LGBT Labour.[18] In 2019 he was selected as an MEP candidate for the South East region but failed to get elected.[9] [19] He has previously expressed his opposition to Brexit and support for a second referendum.[20]

Academic career

Dasgupta is Senior Lecturer in Cultural Industries and Programme Convenor for Creative Industries and Cultural Policy at the University of Glasgow. He has previously worked at Loughborough University, Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton; University of the Arts London and University of Sussex . Dasgupta has authored and edited several books on media and digital culture, cinema, sexuality, gender, sexual health, anthropology and activism.[21] He has also written for outlets such The Independent, The Conversation, Tribune Magazine, Left Foot Forward, Labour List and the Huffington Post.[22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] He has been involved in strike action against pension cuts, organising against homophobia and supporting inclusive relationship and sex education.[29] [30] [31]

Electoral history

2022 local election

Writing

Books

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rohit Dasgupta. University of Glasgow.
  2. Web site: Councillor Rohit Kumar Dasgupta. Newham Council. 16 July 2021.
  3. Web site: Our staff | Loughborough University London. www.lborolondon.ac.uk.
  4. Web site: Election Results from Canning Town South. Newham Council. 3 May 2018.
  5. Web site: Your Councillors by Ward. Newham Council. 16 July 2021.
  6. Web site: Newham Council Local Elections 2022 . Newham London.
  7. News: Hampshire East parliamentary constituency - Election 2019 - BBC News. www.bbc.co.uk.
  8. Web site: Local Fabians | Fabian Society.
  9. Web site: Labour candidates for the European elections. The Labour Party.
  10. Web site: Rohit Dasgupta. Labour Policy Forum.
  11. News: Dasgupta. Priyanka. Kolkata youth now a London councillor. Times of India.
  12. Web site: Election hopefuls grilled at hustings. Alton Herald.
  13. Web site: Rampen. Julia. How a mayoral selection in Newham is turning into an attempted coup.
  14. Web site: Hopps. Kat. Fabian nomination in Newham mayoral vote 'breached society's rules'. Newham Recorder. 2 February 2017.
  15. Web site: Roy. Amit. To read British pulse, watch Calcutta boy's contest. https://web.archive.org/web/20180712182945/https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170608/jsp/nation/story_155772.jsp. dead. 12 July 2018.
  16. Web site: Calcutta boy answers call to Brexit battle. https://web.archive.org/web/20171020055023/https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170503/jsp/calcutta/story_149480.jsp. dead. 20 October 2017.
  17. Web site: From Student Politics To Contesting The UK Parliamentary Elections: Here's The Story Of A 29-Year-Old Kolkata Boy. 3 May 2017.
  18. Web site: National Committee . LGBT Labour.
  19. Web site: Newham councillor to stand against Nigel Farage in the EU elections. 19 April 2019.
  20. Web site: Sign in. PV Staff.
  21. Web site: Loughborough University Research Publications. publications.lboro.ac.uk.
  22. Web site: Dasgupta. Rohit. Coming out isn't as easy as you think for a LGBT+ person of colour. The Independent. 8 February 2018.
  23. Web site: Dasgupta. Rohit. Why I Refuse To Blame The English Working Class For Brexit. Huffington Post.
  24. Web site: Dasgupta. Rohit. Why Queer Folk Must Vote Against Brexit. Huffington Post.
  25. Web site: Dasgupta. Rohit. Coronavirus lockdown: LGBTQ people face hostility and loneliness. The Conversation.
  26. Web site: Dasgupta. Rohit. Don't Send More Homophobic Voices to Europe. Tribune.
  27. Web site: Dasgupta. Rohit. Why I'm standing against Nigel Farage in the European elections. Left Foot Forward. 24 April 2019.
  28. Web site: Dasgupta. Rohit. We must not turn our back on BAME communities to gain votes elsewhere. Labour List.
  29. Web site: Bickerton. James. Hackney Mayor joins lecturers on picket line. Hackney Post. 14 March 2018.
  30. Web site: King. Jon. Canning Town councillor calls for unity to defeat homophobia and stop hate crime. Newham Recorder. 18 June 2019.
  31. News: Nye. Catrin. Protest leaflets claim relationship education teaches infants masturbation. BBC News. 30 August 2019.