A RESPECTED Accrington GP has died after a brave battle with cancer.

Dr Biswanath Kundu, 68, who was partner at the Blackburn Road practice in the town for over 25 years was diagnosed with cancer of the salivary gland in 2004.

At the time, he underwent significant surgery but recently discovered that the cancer had spread to his brain.

He underwent major and risky neurosurgery but suffered complication and died at the Wellington Hospital in London on Monday surrounded by his family.

He was a fully qualified surgeon and worked all over the country from 1967 until 1975, when he became a registrar at Blackburn Royal Infirmary. He also worked at Accrington Victoria Hospital, later becoming director of casualty.

In 1978 Dr Kundu, of Allsprings Plantation, Great Harwood, moved to the Blackburn Road practice as a family doctor and became partner in 1994.

He was born in a small village outside Bankura in West Bengal, India. He married wife Mira in 1967 shortly before moving to Britain where the couple had two children, daughter Sujata and son Amitava, who are both doctors.

He retired in 2004 just months after being diagnosed and moved to London in 2005 to be with his children.

His son said: "He was a very gentle man and he loved to make people laugh. He always saw the good side of people. He was very generous and forgiving. He liked doing things his own way but always had people’s best interests at heart, especially his family.

"He also had a big family in India that he looked after. He supported many of my cousins through school and university and funded the building of a new school in his birthplace.

"The disease affected his speech a little but he was determined to carry on working."

He will be cremated at 11am tomorrow (Saturday) at Accring-ton Crematorium and a number of wellwishers are expected.

Friend and colleague Dr Murthy Motupalli, senior GP and partner at the Blackburn Road practice, said: "It’s very sad. We had a good relationship with him in the practice. The staff and patients really respected him and are very sad that he has passed away.

"He was hard working and dedicated. Patients say he used to always have a smile on his face. We all miss him."

Donna Horne, senior nurse at the practice, said: "He was certainly a character who could never be forgotten. He was a very likeable GP. You couldn’t say a bad thing about him. He was certainly dedicated to his work and he cared deeply about his patients."