Prof.Arunoday Saha receives Padma Shri for Outstanding Contributions to Literature and Education
In a moment of immense pride for Tripura and the academic community across India, distinguished academician and former Vice-Chancellor of Tripura University, Prof. Arunoday Saha, has been conferred the Padma Shri, one of the highest civilian honors in the country. The award, bestowed by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, recognizes Prof. Saha’s exemplary contributions to literature and education.
A stalwart in the field of higher education and an accomplished literary figure, Prof. Saha has long been revered for his scholarship, visionary leadership, and tireless commitment to the advancement of knowledge. His tenure as the first Vice-Chancellor of Tripura University after it was elevated to a Central University status marked a significant phase of transformation, during which the institution saw major academic reforms, infrastructure expansion, and enhanced national visibility.
In addition to his contributions as an educationist, Prof. Saha has also made a deep impact in the literary domain, particularly through his critical writings, essays, and thought-provoking commentary on contemporary socio-political issues. His works in both English and Bengali have earned acclaim for their intellectual depth and cultural resonance.
The announcement of the Padma Shri award was met with widespread celebration in academic circles and beyond. Scholars, students, and admirers across the country have extended their heartfelt congratulations. “I wholeheartedly congratulate Prof. Arunoday Saha ji on this remarkable achievement,” said one well-wisher. “His lifelong dedication to the enrichment of education and literature continues to inspire generations.”
The Padma Awards, announced annually on the eve of Republic Day, honor individuals from various disciplines who have rendered distinguished service in their respective fields. The conferment of the Padma Shri to Prof. Saha not only acknowledges his personal achievements but also shines a spotlight on the vibrant intellectual and cultural landscape of the Northeast.
|Also Read :‘Literature remains in my blood’, former VC of Tripura University Arunoday Saha on being honoured with Padma Shri |
As Prof. Saha joins the ranks of other eminent Padma awardees, his recognition serves as a reminder of the enduring value of education, literature, and public service in shaping the future of the nation
Prof. Arunoday Saha
Prof. Arunoday Saha is an economist and a renowned literary personality with a vast reader base in India and abroad. He is the first and founding Vice-Chancellor of Tripura University (a Central University) and the former Chairman of Tripura State Higher Education Council.
Born on February 4th, 1948 in Sepahijala district, Tripura, Prof. Saha did his schooling from Bishalgarh Higher Secondary School. He studied briefly at Umakanta Academy, Agartala. He attended M.B.B .College in Tripura to pursue his pre-university course before moving to the prestigious Presidency College, Kolkata, to obtain his bachelor’s degree in Economics. He completed his master’s in Economics from Calcutta University and received a Ph.D in Economics from Utah State University, USA.
Prof. Saha during his four-and-a-half decades-long professional career held various positions in academic and civil administration. He began his professional career as a school teacher, and his first assignment was at Bir Bikram Institute, Dharmanagar, North Tripura. After serving there for brief period, he moved to Agartala to join Ram thakur College as a faculty of economics. He joined Tripura University as a teaching faculty in 1978 when it was just a study centre under Calcutta University. Tripura University became a fully pledged state university in 1987, and in 2007, it became a Central University. He served Tripura University in all stages of progress and promotion. He was a professor of Economics there, and in 2007, he was trusted with the responsibility of the first and founding Vice-chancellor of Tripura University (Central University) to lead it from the front.
Prof. Saha returned back to India after completing his Ph.D in the USA with his newly acquired skills, experience, and wisdom to serve the people of his home state and country, and he did so successfully throughout his professional career and thereafter. He is a prolific writer in Bengali literature. His writings have taken the flavor of cultural tradition and harmony of Tripura beyond the geographical and cultural boundaries and barriers to have a long-lasting impact on the minds and thoughts of the readers. He has made an immense contribution to strengthening the treasure house of the literature of Tripura. He has inspired writers of his time and the next generation. His writings and literary creations reflect the cultural and traditional bonds of the two communities, the tribal and non-tribal of the state of Tripura. He enjoys the love and appreciation of his readers from all across the globe.
To recognise and acknowledge his service and contribution to society through education and literature, Prof. Saha was conferred with the prestigious ‘Tripura Vibhushan Samman-2024’, the highest civilian award of the Government of Tripura.
