Somnath Maharana
A teacher in my high school, Somnath Maharana never taught me in a classroom. But I was a student in his private evening tutoring class. He was a master one-to-one teacher, taught me Mathematics, English and Sanskrit. This was in the mid 1960s. Even today, whenever I do any math or write in English (especially while structuring sentences), I feel his presence. I have forgotten Sanskrit, but I’m confident that if I decide to learn it again — nearly than sixty years later — it will be matter of weeks only.
Rest In Peace “Sir”!! My Pranam!!
Prasanta K. Pattanaik
In 1972 he opened the door for me to Delhi School of Economics, and after my graduation from Delhi School in 1974, helped me come to the U.S. for Ph.D. Both were new worlds for me at the respective times. He was a “super” teacher, not just according to me but virtually anyone who took a class from him. While our teacher-student relation ended in 1974, his kindness, belief in me and big-push propelled my academic career.
Ravi Batra
I learnt the so-called two-sector general equilibrium model of international trade from him and eventually wrote my thesis under him at Southern Methodist University. He taught me how to begin and finish writing theoretical research papers — something that helped me immensely in the beginning “publish or perish” years in academic. Much later, he left ‘academic research’ in the traditional sense and focused the functioning of the macro economy. I have always found his ideas novel and important. Indeed, while moving along in my career as an international trade theorist, his work motivated me to delve into the world of macroeconomic research, particularly business cycles. It ended up in a research monograph on business cycles I wrote in the early 1990s, and, it received good reviews. His endeavor inspired me to initiate and undertake frontline research in other areas of economics — which was virtually “new” to me. He made me a self-made researcher as he himself is.
Josef Hadar
As I entered his office for the first time at Southern Methodist University in the winter semester of the 1974-1975 academic year, I was struck by his sparkling eyes, kindness and simplicity. As the director of graduate studies at the time, he waived a number of course requirements based which subjects were taught to me in Delhi School of Economics. One could see sparks in his eyes when he listens to a promising research idea. I learnt from him how to “dig” at a research problem incrementally with diligence and finally able to make a significant dent. This is what research and fun of research is all about.
Rest In Peace “Professor Hadar” (as we used to address him).