Anil Kumar Das specialized on meteorology and astronomy and took his DSc in 1928 at the University of Paris. He was appointed as a Meteorologist in the Upper Air Observatory, Agra (1935-38) and as Assistant Director (1938-46) and Director (1946-50) of the Kodaikanal Observatory. Das was also the Director of the Nizamiah Observatory and held the position of Professor of Astronomy at Osmania University, Hyderabad.

Academic and Research Achievements: Das initially specialized in spectroscopy and on spectrophotometric investigations of the temperature of the Sun. Later, he made systemic investigations in cosmic rays. At Kodaikanal, he worked on solar prominences and motions in the Sun’s atmosphere. He realized the possibility of indirect estimation of solar particles and ionizing flux in the XUV and X-ray regions from astrophysical measurements and set up a full-fledged ionospheric and geomagnetic laboratory there. He was responsible for equipping the observatories with excellent instruments like Lyot coronograph, Schmidt telescope and other state-of-the art equipment.

Awards and Honours: Professor Das was a recipient of the Padma Shri in 1960 and was awarded Fellowship of the Royal Astronomical Society of London. The International Astronomical Union named a lunar crater after Das.