Nirmal Kumar Bose did his MSc (1925) from the University of Calcutta. He was Reader and Director, Science College, Calcutta; and Director, Anthropological Survey of India, Kolkata.

Academic and Research Achievements: Bose had specialized in architectural research, particularly, on canons of Orissan architecture. He made a detailed investigation of the temple architecture throughout northern India, including the Kangra valley in Himachal Pradesh, Rajputana, Central Provinces and Central India. One of the original contributions he made was the chronometric dating of these temples and the working out of the successive waves of diffusion of architectural style from regional centres with the help of isopleths. He made anthropological studies on tribals such as Juangs of Orissa, the Mundas and Oraons of Chotanagpur and Lodhas. He authored many books, such as Cultural Anthropology (1929); Canons of Orissan Architecture (1932); Hindu Method of Tribal Absorption (1941); Excavation of Mayurbhanj (1948); Peasant Life in India (1961); Carrying Capacity of Land under Shifting Cultivation (1967); and Anthropology and Some Indian Problems (1972), to mention a few.

Other Contributions: Bose built up a School of Prehistory (1938) in the Anthropology Department of University of Calcutta. He was Editor of Man in India.

Awards and Honours: Bose was a recipient of Annandale Gold Medal of Asiatic Society (1948); Bronze Medal of the University of Hiroshima (1965); Ramapran Gupta Award of Bangiya Sahitya Parishad; and Padma Shri (1966). He was an Honorary Fellow of Sanskrit College, Kolkata; Calcutta Geographical Society (Honorary Secretary); Asiatic Society; Bangiya Sahitya Parishad; Indian Anthropological Society; Geographical Society of India; Institute of Historical Studies; Nikhil Bharat Banga Bhasha Prasar Samiti; Bengal Library Association; Bangiya Vijnan Parishad and Bangiya Jatiya Krida O Sakti Sangha. He was President, Anthropology Section of Indian Science Congress (1949).