New Delhi: Suniti Kumar Pathak, a distinguished scholar in Buddhist studies and recipient of the Rashtrapati Award, passed away at the age of 101 at his home in Bolpur-Santiniketan, West Bengal, on December 5.
Pathak was closely associated with Visva Bharati University, founded by Rabindranath Tagore, where he worked in the Department of Indo-Tibetan Studies and served as the dean from 1972 to 1986. He was also a guest faculty member at the University of Calcutta and taught Buddhist and Indo-Tibetan Studies at various institutions both in India and abroad.
In addition to the Rashtrapati Award, his illustrious academic career earned him the Manjushree Award, Sahitya Parishad Award, and the title of ‘Bhanak’ from the Mahabodhi Society for his religious recitations. A prolific author, Pathak wrote around 200 books and was proficient in nine languages. He completed his education at Sanskrit College, Kolkata, and the University of Calcutta, where he specialized in Pali and Sino-Tibetan Studies.
Pathak also served in the Indian Army as a language teacher, translator, and interpreter. He retired from Visva Bharati University in 1984, after which he continued to live in Bolpur-Santiniketan until his death. Some of his notable works include Tantrik Tradition in the Himalayas and Tibet and Bilingual Glossary of the Nagananda. He extensively traveled on foot through remote Himalayan villages to gather field notes for his research, despite being offered government-provided transport.