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CHOWDHURY SATYENDRA NARAYAN (19 October 1926-01 January 2014) Dr.Satyendra Narayan Chowdhury was the doyen of sericulture in India. Whenever people want to do anything on sericulture as a science and its practice India name of Dr.Satyendra Narayan Chowdhury automatically appears in the picture. For the people in the field of sericulture in India and abroad, he was Dr. S. N. Chowdhury, D.Sc. (Cal.), F.Z.S. (Cal.), and D.Sc. (Dibrugarh University Hons. Causa), renowned sericulture scientist & writer with international fame. He was known as the ‘Father of Muga’,(1) 'Father of sericulture of North East'of India.(2) Quite reasonably he was regarded as the ‘Tazima of India’ by the sericulture scientists.(3) Dr.Y.Tazima of Japan is referred to as  the  ‘Father of modern sericulture’. Dr.S.N.Chowdhury was also regarded as 'The Dronacharya('guru'/the teacher) of Assam sericulture', the real 'guru' of sericulture in  Assam,India.(4) A genial and pleasing person and always with a mild mannered smiling face Dr. S. N. Chowdhury, a scientist per AC, a man of great erudition possessed a very high mental caliber and a brilliant record of achievements in the field of sericulture. He obtained the Degree of Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) from the University of Calcutta in 1965 being the first D.Sc. in India in sericulture and first D.Sc. of Assam.(5) In fact Dr.S.N.Chowdhury was the first University research degree holder in sericulture in India, because till that time he obtained the D.Sc. degree in 1965, there was not even a Ph.D. Degree holder in this field in India.(6) His unfathomable depth of knowledge encompassing various subject matters was wonderful. He could equally take on different aspects of science, arts, literature and commerce. One could enjoy his talking on different topics on history, society, anthropology, art, culture, philosophy and religion. Glimpses of his encyclopedic knowledge are reflected in the large number of research publications and the 33 books authored by him. He was also a keen lover of nature.

FAMILY AND EDUCATION: Dr. S.N.Chowdhury was lovingly called as ‘Manik’ ( a kind of precious red stone, the best kind of ruby)by the family members and close relatives. He was born to Raibahadur Gangaram Chowdhury ( D.1948), and  Annada Chowdhury  at  Graham Bazar, Dibrugarh,  Assam, India. Dr. S.N.Chowdhury got his school education at Graham Bazar L.P.School and passed the matriculation Exam. in 1945 (1st Divn.) from Dibrugarh Govt. Boys’ School. He did his B.Sc. from Cotton College, Guwahati (1947) and M.Sc. (1st Class), in Zoology with special paper Entomology from Calcutta University in the year 1949. Dr.S.N.Chowdhury used to live in his residence at Graham Bazaar, Dibrugarh from 1994 after his retirement from all official assignments keeping himself busy in writing books. He breathed his last at the residence of her daughter at Noida on 10.1.2014 after a brief illness at the  age of 88. He is survived by his daughter Purobi Menon and granddaughter Chiara. DR.CHOWDHURY AND D.H.S.K.COLLEGE: Dr. S.N.Chowdhury helped Aswini Charan Chowdhury, the founder secretary and played an active role in the establishment of D.H.S.K College in 1945.(7) He was one of the founder teachers (Biology) the Science Stream of the College. In those days W.P. Medhi M.Sc. (Zoology) taught Bio-Zoology and Dr.S.N.Chowdhury had to teach Bio-Botany in I.Sc. Classes. Although he served D.H.S.K.College for a brief period of time he did everything that could be done by a sincere and dedicated teacher to the newly established science section of the College as the Prof.-in-charge of the section.

RESEARCH IN ITALY AND AFTER: Dr. S.N.Chowdhury went to Italy later in 1951, where he served as Assistant Lecturer and Associate Research Asstt. , Lazzaro Spallanzani Institute of Zoology, University of Pavia Italy. He did his research work on the genetics of silkworm for four and half years under Prof.Carlo Jucci, Director of the Institute and the Director of the Italian Council of research. After coming back from Italy in 1955 Dr.S.N.Chowdhury joined Regional Sericulture Research Station (C.M.E.R.S) as Research Officer. He tried his best to develop the research centre as  full flagged research Institute of national level to help the people in their economic development and the country to earn foreign exchange. For this purpose he developed the library of the center with valuable books of Indian and foreign writers and the six laboratories of the center with necessary foreign equipments. Students of Gauhati and Dibrugar Universities came to visit the center and benefited as well. It is due to his initiative there is the advancement in sericultural research in this region and a number of scientists of N.E.Region are associated in Sericultural research. He became the Principal of Sericulture Training Institute and served there for 16 years. In 1965 Dr.Chowdhury was elected the fellow of the Zoological Society of Calcutta.There were close associations of Dr.S.N.Chowdhury with the sericulture scientists of the different countries of the world like U.S.S.R., France, and U.S.A. including Dr.Y.Tazima of Japan. In 1968 he participated in the International Congress of Genetics held at Tokyo, Japan at the invitation of the congress where he gave demonstration and presentation on the Eri, Muga and Pat of Assam and could impress the sericulture scientists of the world.

STATE, CENTRAL AND INTERNATIONAL  ASSIGNMENTS: In the year 1972 Dr.S.N.Chowdhury became the Director of Sericulture and Weaving, Govt. of Assam (undivided ). He became the U.N. Consultant for Ericulture in Vietnum-Laos, sponsored by United Nation’s Drug Abuse Control Programme (PNULSD) for 2 years where he gave training on Ericulture for 6 months in 1976. Dr.Chowdhury became the Adviser in Sericulture for the North eastern Council, Shillong a Govt. of India Organization from 1978-1984. During this period he wrote some of his most valuable books on sericulture and also developed a better muga reeling machine with higher productivity. In 1991 he became the chairman of the Advisory committee of the central Muga research center Boko and gave a new momentum to the muga research through the center. Dr.S.N. CHOWDHURY IN AAU: .          In the year 1984 it was decided to open the Department of Sericulture in the Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat to offer post graduate (M.Sc.) course. A very renowned worker and scholar in the field of sericulture gave his consent to join the University as Visiting Scientist. He was none but Dr. S.N.Chowdhury the doyen of sericulture in India. He joined AAU as the visiting Scientist (Sericulture) where he worked for nearly 10 years. In A.A.U. Dr Chowdhury distinguished himself not only as teacher, but also in  organizing the  teaching and Research Department of Sericulture which is now flourishing with academic programmes at M.Sc.and Ph.D. level. ‘He was a man of great learning and academic experience and his very presence in the A.A.U. brought about an atmosphere of scholarly ambience which is difficult to find’- Dr.B.C.Borthakur, former Acting V.C. and Director of Res.(Agri.) of A.A.U. writes on Dr.Chowdhury. Dr.Chowdhury worked tirelessly to build the Department. He enriched the library by donating most of his invaluable books collected from different parts of the world. He spent most of his extra time reading in the university library and was said to be a ‘book worm’ for the library. He helped many scientists of AAU providing copies of literatures that he found important to the concerned scientists.(8)(9)(10) BOOKS AUTHORRED:(11) Contributions of Dr.S.N.Chowdhury in the form of journal series publications and in the form of books make an enviable record. Apart from silkworms and sericulture He wrote books on Humanities, General Science, Technology, History & civilization, Art & Culture etc. His books on sericulture are used as reference book by sericulture scientists of India and abroad. The 33 books in English and Assamese Dr.S.N.Chowdhury authored are as follows- 1. Sericulture in Assam, 2. Silkworm and its Culture, 3. Eri Silk Industry, 4. Muga Silk Industry, 5. Mulberry Silk Industry (with a forward by Dr.Y.Tazima, Japan),    6. Eri Muga Paat (in Assamese), 7. Riha Udyog (in Assamese, translated by Sunil Kr. Borthakur),   8. Non-Mulberry Sericulture in India, 9. Reorientation of Sericulture in Assam, 10. Silk and Sericulture, 11. India’s North East (Industrial Resources and Opportunities), 12. Asamar Resam Silpa (in Assamese), 3. Drugs and Narcotics, 14. Horses and Civilization   15. Parthenogenesis, Merogony in Silkworm,   16. The Story of Textiles, 17. Ramee Industry, 18. Silkworm and Host Plants (a Biological Approach), 19. Technique of Research in Sericulture, 20. Assam, Her Heritage, 21. Animals of the World, 22. Plants Around Us, 23. Sericulture and Weaving (an Overview),    24. Food and Nutrition, 25. Evolution of Mankind (Culture and Civilization), 26. Science, Technology and Society, 27. Biology of Silkworms and Host Plants, 28. Trades in Animal Skins and Other Parts, 29. Moths, Butterflies and Orchids, 30. The Story of Man-his foils and foibles, 31. Humanity Tragedy and Destiny, 32. Handloom Industry in India, 33. Evolution of Western Music Dr.Yataro Tazima, the ‘Father of modern Sericulture’ and world famous Sericulture Scientist of the National Institute of Genetics, Japan,  was extremely impressed by the  “surprisingly broad knowledge” of Dr. Chowdhury on wild silkworm and a thorough knowledge about classical documents of systematics of silkworm species. Dr.Chowdhury’s book on ‘Mulberry Silk Industry’ is described by Tazima as a great elaboration based on ingenuity and experience and an “unparallel reference to investigators, technicians as well students, even outside India”.(12) Dr.S.N.Chowdhury's deep love for his subject guided his days and in turn he had been able to guide his students in the best possible manner, giving the very best of himself and had been able to share his expertise and views all over the world.(13). As a scientist with International fame Dr.S.N.Chowdhury will be gratefully remembered and honoured for his valuable contributions to the society. As a person he could be compared with the saints of ancient India. He was conferred the Degree of Doctor of Science (D.Sc. Hons. Causa) by Dibrugarh University in 2002.(14). A world class person, and a lonely traveler in the highway of knowledge, remained almost unnoticed by people. References : 1.Zethner,O,R.Kostrap and D.Barooah (2012) Indian Ways of Silk. Bhabani Print and Publications, Guwahati,Assam,India. 2.Prasad, B.C.(2012) Dr.S.N.Chowdhury. in ‘Ulog’ (Obeisance) published by the convener of the Felicitation Committee to felicitate Dr.S.N. Chowdhury on his 87th birthday. Dibrugarh, Assam,India.p.9 3.Das, P.K. (2012)Dr.satyendra Narayan Chowdhurydevor.......antaranga muhurtta.(in Assamese) ibid. p.18-22. 4.Chakravarty,R.(2012) Dr.S.N.Chowdhury: The Dronacharya of Assam Sericulture. ibid.p.44-45. 5.Khanikar,D.P.(2012) Shradhar Sikshaguru Dr.Satyendra Narayan Chowdhury.......shradha pronam.(in Assamese) ibid.p.30-33. 6. Khownd,J.N.(2012) Jnana Bhandar Dr. Satyendra Narayan Chowdhury. (in             Assamese). ibid. p.10,11. 7.Konwar B.(2000) Editorial,Eta Samay Ejon Manuh a tribute to             educationist,social worker Aswini Charan Chowdhury.Dibrugarh, Assam,India. 8.Borthakur B.C. (2012)In Appreciation of My Association with Dr.Satyendra Narayan Chowdhury. in ‘Ulog’ (Obeisance) published by the convener of the Felicitation Committee to felicitate Dr.S.N. Chowdhury on his 87th birthday. Dibrugarh, Assam,India. p.5 9.Dutta, L.C.(2012) Dr.S.N.Chowdhury a renowned Seri-Scientist ibid. p.36-37. 10.Bhattacharjee,J.(2012) Chowdhury Sir, as I Know. ibid.p.38-39 11. Anon (2012) Books of Dr.S.N.Chowdhury. ibid.p.25 Barua, A. Dr.S.N.Chowdhury. ibid.p.55. 12.Tazima,Y. (1981) Forward note, Mulbery silk Industry (- by             Dr.S.N.Chowdhury),1984, Shillong. India. 13.Menon Purobi (2012) My Father, the Scientist. ibid. p.26-27. 14. Anon.(2012)About Dr.S.N.Chowdhury. ibid p.35,41.