PROFILE OF DR S C DUTT (1919-1979)

Dr H L Shah, Retired Professor and  Head,Parasitology,JNKVV . Professor HL Shah was state Professor of Parasitology and was doing his Ph.D. in USA when DR SC Dutt joined as Head of department of Parasitology, JNKVV in Nov 1969. Both eminent Parasitologists graced the department till 1973-74 when first DR HL Shah moved to Pantnagar to start new Parasitology department while Dr Dutt moved first to ICAR and later to PAU. This write up was written by Professor Shah when the department started Dr SC Dutt memorial lectures in 1996-first lecture delivered by Prof HL Shah ,himself. ******************************************************************

Dr. S. C. Dutt was born on 11th January 1919 at Sylhet (now in Bangladesh). On completion of his early education there, he moved to Calcutta from where he obtained his B.Sc.(Hons.) in 1941 and M.Sc. (Zoology) in 1943 from Calcutta University. He earned his doctorate (Ph.D.} by producing a brilliant thesis from Bombay University in 1954. Dr. Dutt had all exceptionally brilliant academic career. At all stages of his education {from primary to university) he stood first and was recipient of merit scholarship through out. After a short stint as a Lecturer in Zoology in M.C. College Sylhet, Dr. Dutt joined Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar (U. P.) in 1948 as a Research Assistant but, with the passage of time, he rose to a class I position of Helminthologist. In Nov. 1969 Dr. Dutt became the University Professor and Head, Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Science & A.H., Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya ,Jabalpur (M.P.). He occupied this position till Nov. 1974 when he moved to I.C.A.R., New Delhi as Assistant Director General (Animal Science & Education). Since lure of teaching and research proved irresistible, he again joined in 1975 as Professor and Head, Department of Parasitology, but this time at the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, where he worked till his untimely demise in 1979. Apart from guiding several MVSc and Ph.D. students (many of whom are occupying prominent positions in India and Abroad) during his long career, his individual research contributions are most valuable .He became an internationally recognized authority mainly on the strength of his excellent research on schistosomes and amphistomes, but he will also be remembered for his studies on cestodes and filarial nematodes. He published more than 100 research papers in reputed journals both in India and abroad. These include 2 monographs ,one entitled "Studies on Schistosoma indicum" published by ICAR and another "Paramphistomes and Paramphistomiasis of Domestic Ruminants in India" published by the Punjab Agricultural University. Dr. Dutt worked at Jabalpur in the Department of Parasitology, for a short period of 4 years, but he left an indelible impression here. Ph.D. degree program in the department was initiated by him. He himself guided, while here, 2 Ph.D. and 2 MVSc students. If this department is recognized today as a pioneer in the country for research work on different aspects of immunity to schistosomes, credit for this should rightly go to Dr. Dutt because he initiated this line of research here, when an ICAR scheme on this topic submitted by him, was approved by ICAR. Likewise, much of the information on amphistomes included in his monograph was based on the research carried out by him at Jabalpur. With so many achievements to his credit, Dr. Dutt's career did not go unrecognized. Among many honors that came his way, it will suffice to mention only two because these are the landmarks at the either end of his professional career; one was the gold medal awarded to him by Calcutta University for standing first class first in M.Sc and the second was the prestigious "Rafi Ahmad Kidwai Memorial Award" for the year 1964-65 of ICAR. No account of Dr. S.C. Dutt can be deemed complete, unless mention is made of his kind and considerate nature. He was a soft spoken, gentle and courteous person. He hardly ever raised his voice even when his patience was taxed . His style of functioning was based on gentle, but firm persuasion. All these qualities endeared him to his students and colleagues alike. It is hardly surprising that he is still remembered today with respect and gratitude. ( the revised book "Remembering Dr SC Dutt:The Parasitologist , was published by Har Anand Publishers, New Delhi and released on 14th Oct 2015 in the Pal auditorium of IARI by the Director General, ICAR Dr Aayyappan- please see indianschistosomiasis blog ).

we are reproducing some photographs of Prof S C Dutt , taken from the book