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Professor Ashok Dutt passed away on November 3, 2022, in Chicago. He was a scholar of international fame, teacher, and mentor par excellence. He was an institution by himself of Indian origin. Dr. Dutt was a doyen of Indian geography with a very curious intellectual mind. He studied at Patna University for his Master’s and doctoral degrees (1955, 1961) and at the Institute of Social Studies at Hague (Netherlands, 1964) for a post-doctoral research fellowship in physical planning. Subsequently, he emigrated to the United States and began his academic career at St. Anselm's College ((New Hampshire, 1966-68), Asian Institute, East Carolina University (Summer, 1967) and spent the remainder of his career teaching and conducting research at the Department of Geography and Urban Studies, University of Akron (1968-2004). He published over a dozen co-edited books and more than two hundred research papers, book chapters, and encyclopedic entries. Professor Dutt directed a graduate-level summer program in planning both in the Netherlands and Belgium (1976-88) engaging exchange students between both countries. He made extensive contributions in the areas of urban, social, cultural, medical, population, economic and development geography, and urban and regional development planning in India and abroad. His major research collaborations were the late A.G. Noble and Frank J. Costa.

Apart from being a devoted researcher, Professor Dutt has been a Guru, Mentor, and Godfather to several generations of students. He mentored students from the US, Asia, South Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean and many of his students chose to become professors and scholars pushing the frontiers of knowledge. He leaves a legacy where he impacted the lives of several generations of scholars over five decades in the US and overseas.

Those who believe in genetics might attribute his achievements to a distinguished family of doctors and professors in Madhubani (Bihar). His wife Professor Hiran Dutta is an emeritus faculty in the Biology department at Kent State University and his two daughters are ophthalmologist and research scientist in Neurology respectively. The Dutts frequently hosted parties celebrating festivals, honoring colleagues visiting from abroad, and the achievements of their students. The combination of exquisite Indian cuisine and a stimulating intellectual environment acted as a catalyst thus, making the combination even more superb. They would engage in scintillating conversations ranging from global dynamics to South Asian politics, the status of Indian and American Geography, sports, and classical western music.

This session is about commemorating Professor Dutt’s towering personality, global scholarship, and mentorship. His enthusiasm, warm personality, and unique humor were contagious, and thus, welcomed colleagues and students.

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