Dr.
Prafulla Chandra Bora (born on Oct.1, 1931) assumed the office of the
Vice-Chancellor, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat on August 9, 1987 and
completed a full term of 5 years on August 8, 1992. Dr. Bora, a graduate from
the erstwhile Assam Agricultural College, Jorhat obtained his Master’s degree
in Agriculture (Plant Physiology) from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi in 1956.
He started his professional career in the same year, as Lecturer/ Assistant
Professor of Agricultural Botany in Assam Agricultural College (later renamed
as College of Agriculture, under AAU) and promoted to the rank of Professor in
1963. He joined the University of London in 1965 for his Doctoral Research.
After obtaining Ph.D. degree with credit in 1968, he visited several
universities and research institutes in France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Germany,
Switzerland and Greece under the Colombo Plan Fellowship programme sponsored by
the British Council. On October 26, 1968, he joined as the founder Professor
and Head of the Department of Tea Science & Technology (later renamed as
Tea Husbandry & Technology), AAU, Jorhat. He planned and organized Tea Husbandry
& Technology as entirely a new specialised professional course, not
available elsewhere in the world. The sincerity, hard work, devotion, dynamism
and farsightedness of Dr. Bora in all his efforts and initiatives to build up a
strong department of excellence brought reputation within a few years of its
existence. As a postdoctoral research fellow of the International Development
Association (Education Project), Dr. Bora spent four months in Tokyo
University, Shizuoka University and NEIT, Japan during 1976. As a part of the
study visit, he also spent 2 months in 8 countries of the Fareast studying the
R & D activities in agriculture. Dr. Bora took special interest and
initiative to provide technical support to the “Small Tea Farming Enterprise”
initiated by the educated youth of Assam. He also served the Faculty of
Agriculture, AAU, Jorhat as Dean from 1980 to 1985 before taking over the
charge of Vice-Chancellor, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat.
Dr. Bora was a
successful teacher having published over 60 research publications in national
and international journals. A man of strong will with cool temperament and
pleasant personality possessed the kindest of hearts, which made him
approachable and adorable to one and all. He expired on June 27, 2005. The
memory of this great academician and administrator will linger in the hearts of the AAU
fraternity forever.