Arunoday Saha
An economist and Bengali writer who became the founding vice-chancellor of Tripura University as a central university, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
Arunoday Saha has spent his life in two worlds: running universities and writing books. In 2025 he was named for the Padma Shri in the field of literature and education, from Tripura [1].
From Bishalgarh to Utah
Saha was born on 4 February 1948 in what is now Sepahijala district of Tripura [2]. After school in Bishalgarh, he studied economics at Presidency College and Calcutta University in Kolkata, and earned a PhD in economics from Utah State University in the United States [2].
Growing with Tripura University
He started as a schoolteacher in Dharmanagar, then taught economics at Ramthakur College in Agartala [2]. In 1978 he joined Tripura University when it was still a study centre of Calcutta University. He stayed as it became a state university in 1987 and a central university in 2007, when he was appointed its first vice-chancellor [2]. He later chaired the Tripura State Higher Education Council [2].
A writer of Tripura
Alongside his academic work, Saha is a prolific writer in Bengali. His books reflect the cultural ties between Tripura’s tribal and non-tribal communities, and have readers well beyond the state [2].
In 2024 he received the Tripura Vibhushan, the state government’s highest civilian honour [2].
Sources
- [1] Padma Awards 2025: list of awardees — Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Accessed 11 October 2026.
- [2] Padma Awards 2025: citation for Arunoday Saha — Padma Awards, Government of India. Accessed 11 October 2026.
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