Kalyani, Dec. 29: A senior professor died of cardiac attack on Saturday afternoon while introducing key note lecturers at a National seminar on Library science organized by Kalyani University at an auditorium inside the University campus.
Eye witnesses said, the deceased, Professor Juran Krishna Sarkhel (63), a prominent National figure in “Library and Information Science”, had collapsed on the podium at the seminar hall at about 12.30pm. He was rushed to Gandhi Memorial Hospital in the town where he was pronounced dead on arrival by the doctors.
Kalyani University vice chancellor professor Sankar Kumar Ghosh as well as many teachers and students rushed to the hospital and paid their tributes to the departed professor.
“This is very shocking..! We lost a great academic”, Vice chancellor Professor Ghosh said.
Professor Juran Krishna Sarkhel (File Pic)
Sarkhel, a resident of Rishra in Hooghly district, done his MLIS and PhD from Jadavpur University. He served as a visiting Scientist in the Indian Statistical Institute, Bangalore, and was a board member in many universities. Prior to join Kalyani University he served at Vidyasagar University. He was the former director of Kalyani University’s Distance learning department. He also worked as interim registrar and vice chancellor of Kalyani University apart from service as head of the department of Library science.
University officials said, Professor Juran Krishna Sarkhel arrived at the university auditorium Vidyasagar Sabhagriha quite early as he tool special interest about the two day’s seminar titled “Libraries in Next Era: On Digital Learning Landscape” organized by Kalyani University’s Department of Library and Information Science.
A student of the library science who was present at the auditorium said, “Today after inaugural programme when Professor Sarkhel delivered an introductory speech. He later started introducing the key note lecturers of the event scheduled to deliver speech in the first session when he suffered chest pain. We noticed him in trouble while introducing Kharagpur IIT’s librarian Dr. Bablu Sutradhar. He collapsed soon before anybody could realize what actually happened to him. He was soon taken hospital, but died on the way”.
An official of University said that Sarkhel was prominent name as an academic in Library and information science in the country.
“He was nominated as the member of the Scientific Committee for the Asian Conference on Science, Technology and Medicine scheduled to be held in Dubai, UAE during February 12-14 next year and also slated to submit a presentation there”, one of his former colleagues said.
Sarkhel was survived by two children and wife Gouri, who works as a teacher of Bengali literature at Krishna Bhabini Nari Siksha Mandir in Chandannagore.
Sarkhel’s close colleague and former dean of arts faculty Professor Sumit Mukherjee said, “He was a great teacher and a sensitive person. I once seen him to disembark from a car in which he was travelling while passing close to a statue of Matangini Hazra in Midnapur only to to bow his head in respect”.
“Professor Sarkhel had planned a joint research with me on association of legendary persons with the libraries. But, his plan remained unaccomplished. His death is great loss to students of library science and as well as for me”, Professor Mukherjee added.
The last rites of the departed academic would be held in Rishra on Sunday, family sources said.