Professor Gautam Kumar Basu, First Vice-Chancellor of MBB University and Eminent International Relations Scholar, Passes Away
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, May 8, 2025
Professor Gautam Kumar Basu (1954–2025), the first Vice-Chancellor of Maharaja Bir Bikram University in Tripura and a distinguished academic in the field of International Relations, passed away late last night at his residence in Kolkata following a prolonged illness. He was 71.
Professor Basu was a renowned former professor in the Department of International Relations at Jadavpur University, Kolkata. The department, established in 1956, holds a distinctive place as the first of its kind in eastern India. His illustrious academic journey began with a PhD from Syracuse University, USA, in 1987, equipping him with a global perspective that deeply influenced his teaching and research.
He served at Jadavpur University for decades, contributing extensively to the Department of International Relations and the School of International Relations and Strategic Studies (SIRSS), which was founded the same year he completed his PhD. His academic work spanned a wide range of areas, including global public policy, foreign policy analysis, environmental and energy security, and international political economy.
Among his notable publications are Bhutan: The Political Economy of Development and The State, Development, and Military Interventions, which examined the intersections of state power, developmental challenges, and security concerns. His contribution to the volume Indian Democracy, published by Cambridge University Press, and his thought-provoking article in the Jadavpur Journal of International Relations showcased his nuanced understanding of democratic transitions.
Professor Basu was also at the forefront of interdisciplinary research on environmental security, focusing on the critical issue of arsenic contamination in groundwater in West Bengal and Bangladesh. His influential papers on the topic helped raise awareness about this regional crisis and possibly guided public policy responses.
In addition to his academic research, he made significant editorial contributions as the long-serving editor of Rastra, the journal of the West Bengal Political Science Association, where he succeeded Professor Mukhopadhyay.
Professor Basu was appointed the first Vice-Chancellor of Maharaja Bir Bikram University in Tripura, where he played a foundational role in shaping the university’s academic vision and structure.
He leaves behind a legacy of scholarship, mentorship, and institution building that has left a profound impact on generations of students and colleagues across India and beyond.
His passing marks the end of an era in the field of International Relations and higher education in eastern India.
more news...