A tribute to Prof Sudip Dey: A researcher par excellence

Scientists across the nation and Northeast in particular were shocked as news of Prof Sudip Dey's sudden demise poured in from his peer researchers and students on the fateful day of February 20, just eight days ahead of his superannuation.

Alumni of St Anthony's College Shillong and Department of Zoology NEHU, Prof Dey, my classmate, joined Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facility (SAIF), formerly RSIC NEHU, a DST funded project as Senior Technical staff, since it was established in 1984. Research facilities using electron microscopes-scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) were then available only in the Northeast. Prof Dey after being trained in electron microscopy in CDRI Lucknow and England, became the guiding force in frontier areas of biological sciences. He made remarkable contributions related to Muga silk worms, besides designing and assessing samples from agri-veterinary, pharmaceuticals, fishery, including wildlife forensic. Researchers from across the Northeast and eastern India used to make a beeline for days together to get their samples assayed.

He once told me in the late 80's that he accidently stumbled on an unusual result while dealing with an organic sample and that technique after repeated trials was recognized to be a new methodology in electron microscopy and for that achievement he was conferred with membership of Royal Society of Microscopy. He published 129 research papers of international stature, contributed 10 scholarly articles and guided 20 Ph.D scholars. Sudip was very supportive to researchers. He routinely organized short-term workshops and training programmes for young researchers and assisted in project works. His death is an irreparable loss to the scientific community. Today on his adhya shraddhya, we all pray to Almighty for his soul to rest in peace.

Rishi Das

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