A brilliant man, pioneering scientist, and a beloved teacher, Prof. Ratan Lal Brahmachary was all that and much more. Dr. Silanjan Bhattacharyya writes about this great mind, who took him under his aegis and put him on the path of Nature and excellence.
I was fortunate enough to know him in my time of despair. Despite warnings from my father and other well wishers, I chose to study Zoology honours for graduation. Before the first year had gone by, I realised that the course was more about dead, deformed animals in formalin than living ones. I was bored, thanks to the primitive syllabus and anoetic tradition of teaching. I stopped going to college and was lost. It was the end of 1970s.
This is when I met Professor R. L. Brahmachary (better known as RLB among his students), who gave me access to the greater academic universe of biology to which he belonged. I was fortunate enough to find him along with his brother Gopal, living in a rented flat in a house owned by the family of Suvrendu Sengupta, a zoology batchmate, where members of the Dum Dum Science Club met every weekend. Their activities included small surveys and projects of social relevance involving school and college kids. RLB was their friend, philosopher and guide. Recognising my passion for the subject and my need for an anchor, Suvrendu and his mother, a remarkable lady, invited me to stay with them.
Denne historien er fra April 2018-utgaven av Sanctuary Asia.
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Denne historien er fra April 2018-utgaven av Sanctuary Asia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Why Children Are Needed To Help Save The World
On my very first day in India, I encountered many marvelous new customs not practiced in the United States, my home country. But the most curious by far involved trees. Here and there, alongside the roaring streets of Mumbai were rings of marigold wreathed around twisting banyan trunks like dried rays of afternoon sunlight…
Who's Who?
Fact: all toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads! Let’s unpack this...
The Sea Raptor
The White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster is one of the most common raptors along the Indian coastline. Nevertheless, the sight of this soaring, broad-winged, white and black bird of prey is nothing less than majestic
Bringing Up Bob Hoots.
While we were visiting a friend’s farm in the village of Yelachetty, near Bandipur Tiger Reserve, we found Spotted Owlets nesting on the tiled roof… and one of the chicks on the kitchen floor!
Yala, Land Of The Leopard
Yala is not only Sri Lanka’s second-largest, but also the most-visited national park in the island nation.
The Wizards Of Oz!
Australia is not only a country, but also a continent. The land down under, cut-off from the rest of the world has an abundance of unique species of native animals, birds, reptiles, insects and plants.
Scales & Tails
I was really excited and looking forward to the workshop on reptiles and amphibians at Nature’s Nest in Mollem, Goa, between June 24 and 26, 2017. It was my opportunity to meet renowned herpetologist Varad Giri.
Big, Brilliant And Endangered
When one thinks of elephants, the first word that probably comes to mind is BIG! But elephants, while they may be the largest creatures on land, are not just big and powerful, they’re wise and sensitive as well. Recent scientific studies have established that they are among the most intelligent animals in the world.
Earth Manners
Everyday habits matter! Let’s be kind to the planet, animals and ourselves!
World Scan
CHINA’S IVORY TOWNAn explosive investigation by the Environmental Investigation Agency has revealed how criminal gangs originating from an obscure town in southern China have come to dominate the smuggling of ivory tusks poached from African elephants.
