Sambalpur: Professor Panchanan Nath, an eminent zoologist and former Syndicate Member of Sambalpur University, passed away on May 3, 2025. He was 74. His demise marks the end of a remarkable era in Indian academia, particularly in the field of fish reproductive physiology.
A widely respected academic, Professor Nath served as Professor of Zoology at Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, where he began his tenure in 1980 and continued until his retirement. Over a career spanning more than four decades, he earned national and international recognition for his contributions to reproductive physiology and endocrine biochemistry, particularly in fish vitellogenesis.
Born on October 1, 1950, in Sambalpur, Odisha, Professor Nath completed his B.Sc. (Hons.) from Sambalpur University in 1971, followed by an M.Sc. and Ph.D. from the University of Delhi in 1973 and 1979, respectively. He began his teaching career at Dyal Singh College under the University of Delhi before moving to Visva-Bharati University.
Professor Nath was instrumental in mentoring the next generation of zoologists, having supervised 13 Ph.D. scholars. He published 91 research papers and abstracts, and completed eight major research projects funded by UGC, CSIR, ICAR, and DST.
His expertise earned him international acclaim, including invitations as a visiting scientist to the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris in 1987 and 1989. He collaborated there with Professor Y.A. Fontaine and Dr. E. Burzawa Gerard.
In 1983, he received the Hari Om Ashram Trust Award from ICAR, a prestigious recognition in animal sciences, shared with the late Prof. B.I. Sundararaj and Prof. S.V. Goswami. In 2004, he was honored with the Rashtriya Gaurav Award by the India International Friendship Society (IIFS), New Delhi.
Beyond his scholarly work, Professor Nath held several key academic and administrative positions, including Head of the Department of Zoology and Vice-Principal (Deputy Dean) of Siksha Bhavana at Visva-Bharati University. He was also a former President of the Indian Society for Comparative Endocrinology and held memberships in several international scientific societies. He also served as a Syndicate Member of Sambalpur University.
The loss of Professor Nath is being deeply felt by the academic community at Visva-Bharati University, Sambalpur University, and his peers across India and abroad. His colleagues and students remember him as a humble, sincere, and charitable individual whose teaching style left an indelible mark on many.
Condolences continue to pour in as the scientific community mourns the passing of a truly remarkable figure in Indian zoological research.
