Abani Kumar Dey earned his PhD (1932) from the University of London, with a specialization in economic geology. Apart from serving as the Director of Geology, and Part-time Member and Adviser in the Oil and Natural Gas Commission, he was variously employed as Museum Assistant, Field Collector, Assistant Geologist and Superintending Geologist of the Geological Survey of India; Professor and Head, Department of Geology, Utkal University; and Senior Specialist, Planning Commission, New Delhi.

Academic and Research Achievements: Dey discovered many mineral deposits and the Miocene molluscan species. He demonstrated the evolution of Placenta lamellate species from Indoplacuna. He is well known for his geological researches in Singhbhum area and for exploring the mineral deposits of Indian sub-continent and Burma. He co-discovered a new mineral coulsonite, India’s main source of vanadium.

Other Contributions: Abani Kumar Dey co-authored Evolution of Life published by CSIR and India’s Mineral Wealth by OUP.

Awards and Honours: Professor Dey was the recipient of the first National Mineral Award (1968) as also the winner of the Tamra Patra awarded by the Council for Application and Extension of Technology to Rural India. He was a Fellow of the Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Society of India, Geological Society of India, and Indian Society of Professional Geologist. He remained an esteemed Member of the Mining, Geological & Metallurgical Institute of India, the Indian Society of Engineering Geology, the Indian Association of Geohydrologists, Indian Society of Economic Geologists, and Indian Society of Earth Sciences.