Sikkim University Officiating Vice Chancellor Dr. Jyoti Prakash Tamang passes away in Siliguri

In a tragic loss to the academic fraternity, Dr. Jyoti Prakash Tamang, the officiating Vice Chancellor of Sikkim University, passed away while undergoing treatment in Siliguri after his health deteriorated suddenly.

Born on November 16, 1961, in the mountainous district of Darjeeling, West Bengal, Dr. Tamang had a distinguished academic journey. He completed his early education at Turnbull High School, Darjeeling, in 1977 and pursued his higher secondary studies at St. Joseph’s College, Darjeeling, finishing in 1979. His academic excellence continued at Darjeeling Government College under North Bengal University, where he earned his B.Sc. Honours in 1982, followed by an M.Sc. in Microbiology in 1984, for which he was awarded a gold medal.

Dr. Tamang began his career in 1986 as an Associate Professor in the Department of Botany at Sikkim Government College, Tadong, a role he held for over two decades. He earned his Ph.D. in Microbiology from North Bengal University in 1992. His academic pursuits took him abroad for post-doctoral research, first at the National Food Research Institute, Tsukuba, Japan, under a fellowship from the United Nations University-Kirin Brewery Company, and later at the Institute of Hygiene and Toxicology, Karlsruhe, Germany, supported by the Volkswagen Foundation.

In 2011, Dr. Tamang joined Sikkim University (CUS), where he served in several key positions, including Academic Coordinator, Dean of the School of Life Sciences, the institution’s first Registrar, and Senior Professor. His leadership, dedication, and scholarly contributions earned him the role of Officiating Vice Chancellor.

He also had international teaching stints as a visiting professor at the Research Institute of Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan (2009–2010), Chonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju, South Korea, and AIST, Tsukuba, Japan.