Preamble

Around 2006-2007 a few of SINP Alumni discussed among themselves that the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics has completed more than 56 years of its glorious existence. Many illustrious physicists and outstanding teachers have turned out of this Institution. More than thousand of post M.Sc. and research students after completing their Associate-ship or Ph.D. have been established in their academic career both within the country and abroad. Many outstanding scientists and teachers have joined the Institution as faculty member from other Institutions and thereby enriched it. Many illustrious scientists of the early period have retired from this Institution Yet the Institute did not have an Alumni association to provide a meeting place to all of them for the exchange of thoughts and ideas and their reminiscences. Hence it was felt that better late than never, we should have an Alumni Association. Such discussions spread far and wide and the formation of an Alumni Association of SINP was welcomed by most of our Alumni. 

As a result the enthusiastic group comprising Drs. J.N. De, M.L. Chatterjee, Samir Sarkar, P. N. Roy, Swapan Basu, Jyotsnamoyee Chatterjee, Sanjukta Ganguly, S.K. Samaddar, Rupayan Bhattacharya, Ram Kumar Guchait, Harashit Majumdar, Gautam Bhattacharya, Pranab Chowdhury, Gayaram Bhaumik, Somapriya Basu Roy formed an informal Preparatory Committee for the formation of the Alumni association and Prof. M. L. Chatterjee was named as the Convenor. The committee members circulated a document in the form. of an Appeal expressing the desire to form an Alumni Association of SINP. The document reads as given below: 

"We the undersigned former staff members and Alumni of the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata came to understand that an effort is being made to start an Alumni Association of the Institute (SINP) comprising the former staff, Students, Research Fellows, Associates and others who have formerly served or been associated with the Research, Teaching and the Engineering activities of the Institute. We wholeheartedly support such a venture and appeal to all concerned to be a member of the said Alumni Association and to actively participate in its progress.

We would also appeal to the present authorities of SINP to kindly extend cooperation and support for the new Alumni Association to be formed. "

This appeal received very hearty support from very senior members like Profs. R. K. Poddar, M. K. Pal, R. L. Bhattacharya, S. N. Chatterjee, P. N. Mukherjee, B. B. Baliga, Jayanta Basu, Sunil Sinha, S. N. Bhattacharya, S. B. Bhattacharya, Jayanti Mahalanabis, Sneha Chaudhuri, Dipti Pal, Ila Mukherjee, Saroj Majumdar, Sachi Dulal Dey, Sunanda Aditya, Sephali Guha, Ashim ganguly, D. Basu, B. G. Ghosh, N. Chatterjee, Manoranjan Bhattacharya, Sudip Ghosh, Subimal Sen, Kamales Bhaumik, Rabi Majumdar, Prasanta Mukherjee and Swapna Mukherjee and many others. Those seniors enthusiastically signed the document and gave moral support to the formation of the Association. Similar support was obtained from Profs. T. Pradhan, L. Satpathy, Ahmed Ansari, Avinash Khare (10P, Bhubaneswar), Y. K. Gambhir (IIT, Bombay), H. Bakhru and B. Dasgupta (USA).

After several informal meetings during 2007, it was finally decided to call a General Body Meeting of all prospective members on 30th November, 2007 with the express purpose for the foundation of the Alumni Association. The Preparatory Committee had framed a draft Constitution for the proposed Alumni Association for its adoption by the members in the Foundation Meeting held on 30.11.2007. The meeting was held in two parts i) Inaugural Meeting presided over by Prof. R. K. Poddar and ii) Business Meeting chaired by Prof. R. L. Bhattacharya.

The Association also acknowledges the help and cooperation received from a large group of present Faculty members of SINP viz. Profs. B. Bal, P. Basu, C. D. Mukherjee, Arun Pal and many others during the initial stages and as well as later. It is also a pleasure to acknowledge the cooperation and facilities received from the past and present Directors of the Institute.