Jyoti Kanto Basu completed his PhD from the University of London. His areas of specialization were soil sciences, soil bacteriology and colloid chemistry He was the Principal, College of Agriculture, Pune, Director, Soil Conservation, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Government of India, Senior Director, Central Soil Conservation Board, and FAO Land Use Expert, Sudan.

Academic and Research Achievements: Basu's principal research interest was in colloid chemistry. At the Agricultural Experiment Station at Rothamsted, he worked on soil colloids and soil bacteriology. He devised an electrodialysis apparatus for rapid determination of exchangeable bases in soil. The apparatus was taken up by Gallen Kamps of London for commercial production. At Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, Basu completed his pioneering and monumental work on the classification of lack soils. While in Bombay, he evolved the famous dry-farming method and the technique of contour cropping for erosion control.

Other Contributions: JK Basu served as the Chairman of the Land Utilization Committee, Government of Rajasthan, and was a Member of the Unesco International Panel for Humid Tropics Research. He was also President, Indian Society of Soil Science (1949-51), Founder and Chairman, Soil Conservation Society of India (1952-54), Member, International Society of Soil Science, and Vice-President, International Society of Soil Science. He was Chairman of the Saline Section of the International Congress of Soil Science.

Awards and Honours: President, Agricultural Sciences Section, Indian Science Congress (1951).