Fans keep date with Bangladesh canine influencer in town for medical tourism

KOLKATA: Bangladesh nationals visiting Kolkata for treatment is a regular affair, but this time, it’s a six-year-old Labrador, who has been flown in to cure her fatty liver and anaemia. Also, it’s not any pet. Santu is an social media “influencer” living in Dharmasabha, Khulna, with a huge fan following—adding up to almost 50 crore people from across the world.
After Tanushree Roy, Santu’s “sister” posted about her Kolkata visit, fans have been making a beeline to Madhyamgram, where the family has rented a house for the time being, to meet her. Even actor-cum-dog lover Debashree Roy paid Santu a visit on Wednesday.
Tanushree said his brother, Ashesh Roy, had bought Santu from Barasat and taken her to their Khulna home as a “surprise gift” in May 2016, when the dog was barely one month old. “Unlike other dogs, it hardly ever barks or sniffs even when new people visit our home,” she said. “I started a Facebook page on Santu when she was three years old and uploaded videos in the afternoon and at night every day. Within days, she became immensely popular. In fact, during the pandemic, when Santu’s food was not available in Khulna, a fan from Australia had sent it. ” According to Tanushree, Shantu has become such a “public figure” that when they had gone to City Centre in Salt Lake to meet her vet, many people recognized her instantly. Some wanted to meet her and some clicked photos with her, Tanushree added.
The Roys reached India on December 2. “A Bangladeshi official, Dr Arun Kanti Mondal, who is a vet, had arranged for all the documents to bring Santu to India for treatment. My mother, Archana, Ashesh, Santu and I travelled by a car from Khulna to the border. From there, Santu’s fan, Rahul Bose, who lives in Bongaon, sent us a car, received us at the border and brought us to the Madhyamgram house. This shows how popular Santu is in Bengal, too. Actor Debashree Roy and dancer Avirup Sengupta visited her,” Tanushree said.
Santu’s videos would bring joy and peace to Debashree especially at a time, when she had lost her mother in November. “As I was so much associated with Santu’s activities all these days and also made comments, I went to meet her with some gifts. I danced with Santu today to express my joy on meeting her. As a dog lover, I was really excited to meet Santu and will come to meet her again before she leaves for Bangladesh.” Avirup said, “Though I have no pet, I follow her activities on social media. I wanted to meet her.”
Tanushree said Santu was a natural at following human commands. “We did not give her any special training, but following and responding to pur words came very easily to her,” she said. But she is scared of cats and even other dogs, Tanushree revealed Santu’s secret.