Mahendra Nath Roy
A North Bengal University chemist and founding vice-chancellor of Alipurduar University, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
Mahendra Nath Roy grew up on a farm in Cooch Behar and went on to become one of the most widely published chemists at the University of North Bengal. In 2026 he was named for the Padma Shri in the field of literature and education, from West Bengal [1].
Career
Roy was born on 10 April 1961 into a farming family in Boxiganj village, Cooch Behar district [2]. He took his MSc, BEd and PhD in chemistry at North Bengal University [2]. He started out as a government school teacher, then taught at Malda Government Teachers’ Training College before joining the University of North Bengal, where he became a professor and later dean of science and arts [2]. He was the founding vice-chancellor of Alipurduar University before returning to teaching [2].
Research
His field is physical chemistry [2]. One strand of his work traps drug molecules inside larger “host” molecules to help them dissolve and release in the body in a controlled way [2]. Another develops nanomaterials made by greener methods that act as catalysts or mimic natural enzymes for use in sensors [2].
He has supervised more than 85 PhD students and written more than 578 research articles and books [2]. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and won the CRSI Bronze Medal in 2017 [2].
He also supports schools and community groups in north Bengal, and the West Bengal government gave him the Banga Bhushan in 2022 [2].
Sources
- [1] Padma Awards 2026: list of awardees — Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Accessed 11 October 2026.
- [2] Padma Awards 2026 investiture ceremony brochure: citation for Mahendra Nath Roy — Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Accessed 12 October 2026.
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