Phanindra Chandra earned his DSc (1940), University of Calcutta with a specialization on organic chemistry. He worked as Professor and Head, Department of Organic Chemistry, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata.

Academic and Research Achievements: Dutta worked on the synthesis of the complex structural framework of terpenoid natural products and established an internationally reputed school in synthetic organic chemistry. He was a pioneer in introducing, in India, the concept of stereocontrol for the synthesis of multi-symmetric centred polycyclic compounds, close on the heels of its development at Harvard. He successfully applied this concept for the synthesis of resin acids, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes of more complex structures and worked on resterpenoids and conversion of quinine to quinidine.

Other Contributions: He served as a Member, INSA Council (1975-77). He was elected Chairman, IX IUPAC Symposium in 1974.

Awards and Honours: Phanindra Chandra Dutta was a recipient of the Nagarjuna Prize in 1938. He was a Fellow of Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore and Indian Chemical Society.