Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Common People’s Rights

Professor Debabrata Das Gupta (b. 1943), presently reemployed Professor of Agricultural Extension was awarded the Ph.D. degree from University of Kalyani in 1969. He was Vice-Chancellor, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya from 2001-04. Professor Das Gupta headed the Department of Agricultural Extension, Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Statistics of Visva-Bharati for about six years and also served as Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Visva-Bharati for two years (1994-96). Professor Das Gupta also coordinated the agricultural extension programmes of Visva-Bharati from 1980 to 2001. He has completed a number of major research and extension projects sponsored by ICAR, DST and Govt. of West Bengal. He has supervised the work of 19 Ph.D. scholars of different social science disciplines. He has to his credit 9 books including 6 edited volumes and over 160 research and professional papers. He has contributed about two dozen chapters in books. He has organized a number of national seminars/workshops/conferences and chaired several scientific sessions including 07 in foreign countries. His fields of specialization are Technology Transfer, Rural Development, Agricultural Communication and Indigenous Knowledge System. Professor Das Gupta served as the member of the Governing Body, ICAR (2002-04). Presently he is actively associated with a number Institutes/Organisations as chairman/member. To name a few are Chairman of Research Advisory Committee of Central Sericulture Board, Eastern & North Eastern Regions, Vice-Chairman of HRD Unit of KVIC (Gol) and member of the Governing Body of Indo-Global Social Service Society, New Delhi. Professor Das Gupta is Fellow of the Academy of Science and Technology (WB) and Fellow of the National Academy of Social Science.