Prof. Samir Sarkar retired Professor from our department passed away in Kolkata on 4 Nov 2011. Prof. Sarkar joined our department on June 16 1958 and retired on 31st October 1992 . Prof Samir Sarkar was a founder faculty member of the Department of Chemical Engineering who initiated the Fuel Technology Section. Prof. Sarkar got his Doctorate from USSR. His familiarity with Russian Scientific equipment helped him to set up a very good Fuel Laboratory. He built unique experimental facilities for research and teaching in Coal and solid fuels processing and combustion. He built up a team to provide technical backup to conduct high temperature (450 C and above) and high pressure (400 kg/cm^2) batch or continuous liquid phase and vapour phase processes and reactions. He developed the course programs for M.Tech. in Fuels and Combustion Diploma program in Combustion Engineering besides UG courses in Fuels and energy related subjects. He had guided a good number of projects on Coal processing Catalyst development for hydrogenation and hydrocracking and chemical additives for liquid fuels. He was a towering figure in his field; Coal Processing Technology and his name and foot prints could be seen in numerous documents of CSIR IBS and Ministry of Coal GOI. In addition to numerous publications in these areas he had also written two books: Design of By-Product Recovery Units of Coke oven Plant (Translation from Russian with co-authors I.E.Korabehanku and M.D. Kuznetsov-Asia 1967) Fuels and Combustion Orient Longman (1974 First edition; 1990 Second Edition). He was an active researcher and dedicated teacher and stuck to his area of research even though the then Govt. was de-emphasising coal research due to emergence of strong petroleum lobby at the national level. He had participated actively in the growth of the department and had established very cordial relations with the faculty and staff of the department. After his retirement he had gone back to Kolkata . Those who had interacted with him closely will always remember him as a distinguished faculty and wonderful human being. (Contributed by Prof. Madhavan and Prof. M C Dwivedi. You may use the "Add new comment" link below to pay tributes and recall fond memories.)‹ Swarnajayanti for Mahesh Dept Library 2.0 ›