TU community expresses sorrow over untimely demise of Prof Sunil Kanta Behera

HT Correspondent
TEZPUR, Dec 29: The Tezpur University community expressed deep sadness at the untimely demise of Professor Sunil Kanta Behera, former professor of eminence at the department of Mass Communication & Journalism (MCJ), who passed away on Tuesday.
Professor Behera who joined Tezpur University in 2002 was the head of the department during the launch of the first academic programme of MA in Mass Communication and Journalism of Tezpur University. He later went back to Berhampur University in the year 2003 and after his retirement from the Odisha state university, he rejoined the department of Mass Communication and Journalism of Tezpur University as professor of eminence and continued his service in the department from 2016 to 2021. He has made an immense contribution towards the development of the department of MCJ, Tezpur university since its inception.
He was also associated with Koraput Central University as an adjunct professor. He has also served in various positions in several universities. He was also associated with the NAAC as a peer team member and has also accomplished many assignments under UGC, UPSC, MHRD, etc. He was a mentor and guide to many academicians in the field of communication studies. His untimely demise is an irreparable loss to the department and media education in India. He was a soft spoken, gentle and humble person. But beneath that gentle personality, resided an erudite scholar, a kindred spirit and an intellectual mind. Above all, he was a passionate teacher and shared a great bonding with all the students. As a media educator, he had an eye for in depth analysis on a range of subjects.
He hailed from a town called Aska in the district of Ganjam, Odisha.
A post-graduate in Commerce from Berhampur University, he joined as a bank officer and later joined the teaching profession. He did his BJMC and then joined as a lecturer in the department of Journalism and Mass Communication of Berhampur University, Odisha. He did his MJMC from Banaras Hindu University. He acquired his PhD and became a reader and then professor. He was a dynamic personality and an asset to all the universities where he worked. He leaves behind his wife, a daughter, and a son.
The entire university community deeply mourned the sad demise of Prof Behera and prayed to the Almighty for eternal peace of the departed soul.