Professor Dr. B. K. Basu: A Person of Principles
It is with profound grief and sadness that we are to share the passing of Professor Dr. B. K. Basu, M. Com, Ph. D, D. Litt, FBIM (Lond.), FAAI (Lond.), a revered and distinguished professor of commerce, who dedicated about four decades of his life to teaching, research and mentoring students, scholars and industry people at the University of Calcutta.
Professor Dr. Barindra Kumar Basu born in Dhaka district, Bikrampur, on 8th March 1943 and completed his early education in his native place. He completed his graduation degree from the R. B. C. College, Naihati, and post-graduation from the Department of Commerce, University of Calcutta in 1964. After completion of his master’s degree he joined the Department of Commerce, R. B. C. College, Naihati. On 6th January 1969 he joined the Department of Commerce, University of Calcutta and served with unwavering dedication until his retirement on 31st March 2008.
Professor Basu has been elected twice as Dean of the Faculty of Commerce, Management and Social Welfare. He was a member of the Senate and Syndicate, University of Calcutta. He was the convener of M. Phil. and Ph. D. committees in commerce. He was a member of a visiting faculty of the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, and the Eastern India Regional Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). He was a member of UGC Commerce Panel, Commerce Alumni Association, University of Calcutta. Prof. Basu was founding president of the Indian Auditing Association. Besides this, he has served various institutions of higher learning in different capacities, including the President of the alumni association of R. B. C. College, and President of the Governing Body in a college.
He was the first Doctorate (Ph.D.) in Accountancy and the first D. Litt. (Commerce) in Auditing in the annals of the University of Calcutta. He has contributed towards the promotion of commerce education through his vast academic and research works in the field of management, accounting, finance and auditing. He took part in the deliberation of the 4th International Conference on Accounting Education in Berlin, West Germany in October 1977.
Prof. Basu was a visionary person, and he was pioneering in deciding the areas and issues for commerce education with his foresightedness. Prof. Paul Garner, University of Alabama, USA, who has written the foreword for a book on auditing authored by Prof. Basu, mentioned that “It is a fortunate circumstance that this new text makes its appearance almost simultaneously with the issuance in January 1980 of a first international auditing guideline published on behalf of the International Auditing Practices Committee by the International Federation of Accountants, which was inaugurated in Munich in October 1977 at the World Congress of Accountants. The specific title of the first guideline ‘Objective and Scope of the Audit of Financial Statements’ will become much more meaningful when readers of this text by Dr. Basu is studied and applied to daily practice. While Dr. Basu had already completed most of his manuscript before guideline number one was printed, it is fortuitous that the chapters of his book explain and give details of carrying out the spirit and philosophy of the guideline… Dr. Basu has an admirable background of educational attainments and practical experience, along with academic prestige, to write a suitable textbook on auditing.”
During his illustrious tenure, he inspired and guided countless students, many of whom went on to achieve great success in their lives. He has successfully guided about 29 Ph.D. scholars under his able supervision and guidance. Prof. Basu’s contributions to academia were recognized and celebrated by the entire academic world. He was famous for his own style of teaching and research within academia, industry and the corporate world. Notably, the University of Calcutta awarded him the prestigious “Eminent Teacher Award on March 22, 2012, for his exceptional teaching skill and commitment to education.
Prof. Basu has been specially felicitated by the former Governor of West Bengal, Shri M. K. Narayanan, who was present at the University of Calcutta on the occasion of the teachers’ day programme. The then Chief Minister of West Bengal, Shri Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, personally invited him to his office in the Writer’s Building and discussed his academic and research interests as well as his contribution to the field of accounting, finance and management. Prof. Basu presented books authored by himself to the honourable chief minister.
I came into contact with him when I was a student in the M. Com. second year in 1998-99. Later I got the opportunity to complete my Ph.D. research work under his supervision and guidance. During my research work I learnt a lot of life lessons and practical knowledge from him, which are lifelong assets for me. He introduced me to many people in academia and industry as his favourite student. I came into contact with Dr. Rakesh Agarwal, Editor of Banking Finance, who became my close friend after a few meetings. The book reviews on different titles authored by Prof. Basu have been published in Banking Finance during such periods.
One thing I observed very closely was that he was a person of principles. Once he has decided his own perspective regarding anything or any incident that remained forever without any further changes or dilution in the same. He never compromised with any person or situation throughout his life. Once he decided on any principle for himself, he followed the same throughout his life at any cost, and ultimately he became a person of principles.
When it comes to talk of his personal stature, he was just like a father figure. He was a very caring, softhearted person with solutions for all problems, whether they were academic or personal in nature; he was so prompt to make you happy by providing a unique solution to your very complex problems in his own style. He always intended to lift the persons in need and without any means or resources.
Outstanding publications of Prof. Basu include An Insight into Auditing – A Multidimensional Approach, Lectures on Management Accountancy, Public Administration, and Accounting for Goodwill. His fundamental contribution to the existing literature of accounting, finance and management can never be forgotten. Matchless examples used by Prof. Basu during his lecture sessions and even the normal course of discussion will never fade. He passed away on 21st April 2025 in Pune, leaving behind his only daughter, Chayanika. His death is a great loss to the accounting and auditing world.
Authored By:
Dr. Ram Prahlad Choudhary, Professor, Department of Commerce, University of Calcutta