Debidas Basu obtained his PhD degree (1948) from the University of Dublin, Republic of Ireland. His areas of specialization were theoretical physics and nuclear physics. He was Director, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (1969-80); and Director, Institute of Theoretical Physics (1992).

Academic and Research Achievements: Basu's work gave a clear understanding of neutronproton, proton-proton, meson-nucleon, photon-electron scattering problems both in the relativistic and non-relativistic regions and of the influence of radiation damping on scattering processes in high-energy regions. His contributions on atom-electron collisions have carried application in astrophysics, laser, plasma and atmospheric physics. His interest was on positron scattering by atoms and molecules.

Other Contributions: Basu was responsible for the school of atomic and molecular collisional process that has come up at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science. He served as Member of Executive Committee (1967-71) of International Conference on the Physics of Electronic and Atomic Collisions (affiliated to IUPAP).

Awards and Honours: Basu was Member of Indian Physical Society (sometime President); President of Asiatic Society (1978, 1979); and General Secretary of Indian Science Congress Association. He received SN Bose Memorial Plague of Indian Science Congress (1989).