Obituary for Manotosh Kumar Bandyopadhyay (1936-2020)

Written by Sunando Bandyopadhyay

The IAG was sorry to learn of the passing of Professor Manotosh Kumar Bandyopadhyay and we reproduce the obituary written by Sunando Bandyopadhyay below.

Professor Manotosh Kumar Bandyopadhyay was born in Barishal of the present Bangladesh in 1936. He studied there up to class VIII and thereafter completed his schooling at Kalidhan Institution, Kolkata. Professor Bandyopadhyay completed his graduation and post-graduation from Asutosh College, Kolkata and University of Calcutta respectively. He received his doctoral degree from University of North Bengal on Geomorphological Characteristics of Mayurbhanj Upland of Orissa. Professor Bandyopadhyay worked in the Research Division of National Atlas Organisation from 1957 to 1959 and subsequently joined the Gauhati University as a lecturer in Geography in 1959. He shifted to University of Calcutta in 1969 from where he retired as Professor of Geography in 2001.
Professor Bandyopadhyay received the Govt. of France Scholarship in 1962-63, for study and training in field geomorphology and glacial/periglacial geology under the guidance of Professor Jean Tricart, Directeur, Centre do Geographie Appliquee, Universite’ de Strasbourg, for one year. He was also the recipient of the prestigious Smithmundt-Fulbright Scholarship (1963-64) for research in geomorphology and glacial geology under the guidance of Professor W. D. Thornbury, Department of Geology, Indiana University. His scholarship was extended for the summer session for field training in Geological Mapping in the Rocky Mountains, U.S.A., under the guidance of Professor T. E. Hendrix (Structural Geologist) and Professor Judson Mead (Geophysicist). He received the National Science Foundation Award in 1964 for his research in glaciology, glacial geology, geomorphology, periglacial geomorphology and allied subjects under the guidance of Professor M. M. Miller, Director of the Glaciological Institute, Juneau Ice-field Research Programme, Alaska. In the following year (1965) he was appointed as Research Associate in the Department of Geology, Michigan State University, U.S.A and as teaching assistant in University of Wisconsin.
He was appointed Secretary to the Glaciology Section of the International Geographical Congress in 1968. In the following year he visited Glaciological Institute, Michigan State University, USA, as Guest Lecturer on Himalayan Glacier. He was invited by the Foundation for Glacier Research Juneau, Alaska, USA as Guest Lecturer during summer, 1985. He was elected as President of various Scientific and Mountaineering Organisations such as Indian Council of Geographers (1978), Mountaineers Youth Ring (1980–88), Eastern Geographical Society (1982), Himalayan Association (1986, 1993), Himalaya Samiksha Parishad (1988–90, 2010 to present) Indian Institute of Geomorphologists (1996) and National Association of Geographers, India (2007). Prof. Bandyopadhyay was also appointed as adviser to the Himalayan Academy, a research centre for Himalayan Studies, and also as academic adviser to the National Adventure Foundation, Department of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India (Eastern India Chapter).
Prof. Bandyopadhyay had supervised 9 Ph. D. Scholars and published 68 articles on Glacial Geomorphology, Structural Geomorphology, Coastal Geomorphology, Fluvial Geomorphology, Environmental Geography and Climatology.
Professor Bandyopadhyay started organising Nature Study camps for children in 1979 with the help of Youth Hostels Association of India. Later several other organizations and mountaineering associations adopted a similar syllabus following his suggestions. He acquired knowledge in French, Russian and German languages in order to collect scientific information from various books and journals in addition to those published in English and this has helped him in keeping in touch with the most recent scientific investigations and innovations made in his field of research in various countries outside the domain of English.
Photography has always been a passion to Professor Bandyopadhyay. He has a collection of more than 4,500 colour slides.
Professor Bandyopadhyay passed away peacefully at his home on 10 October 2020. He is survived by his wife Gouri, daughter Alaska, and son Rajasrshi.
May his soul rest in eternal peace.