From Village Roots to Agricultural Research

I have often been asked to write about myself. Each time, I hesitated. Why would anyone want to read the story of an ordinary person? Then, one day in December 2014, I began to think differently.

From Village Roots

My journey began in the village of Teghari, Post Office Majdia, in Nadia district of West Bengal. I was born into an ordinary lower-middle-class family. My childhood was spent amid the dust, mud and simplicity of village life.

Lessons That Stayed With Me

My first schooling was at Taldah Primary School, followed by Majdia High School. I later studied at Bagula College. Several teachers left lasting impressions on me and helped shape my understanding of education and human relationships.

The Road to Pantnagar

In 1965 I completed Class XI and entered Bagula College. After completing college in 1969, an opportunity appeared almost by accident: an Accounts Clerk position at Pantnagar University.

A New Beginning

On 15 August 1969 I left home for Pantnagar. On 12 December 1969 I joined the university. That day marked the beginning of a new chapter in my life.

Learning Beyond a Job

Pantnagar gave me opportunities that transformed my life. I received computer training in 1970 and moved from Accounts Clerk to Console Operator in 1973. In 1982 I was admitted to the M.Sc. Agriculture programme in Agricultural Economics and Rural Banking. I completed my M.Sc. in 1984 and later received my doctorate in Agricultural Economics.

From Pantnagar to the World

In 2008 I retired from Pantnagar as Joint Director (Technical). Soon afterwards I was invited to work as a consultant with the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines.

Ethiopia and a Wider Horizon

After the IRRI project ended in April 2014, I returned home. I subsequently taught Agricultural Economics at Jimma University in Ethiopia. Working in Africa gave me a different perspective on agriculture, education and development.

What the Journey Has Taught Me

Looking back, I do not see my life as a straight road. It was a path made by taking one difficult step after another. I began with very little, faced disappointments, changed directions, learned new skills and accepted opportunities when they appeared.

Work, honesty, perseverance and good human relationships can open doors that once seemed impossible to reach.

A Message to the Young

I have written this story not to celebrate myself, but to share a possibility. A young person from an ordinary village, from an ordinary family, can dream beyond the limits of his circumstances.