Baleshwar Thakur: Professional Career and Contributions

Abstract

This chapter is a discussion of the growth, evolution, and contribution of Baleshwar Thakur (B.T.) to Indian geographic research. He is a doyen among Indian geographers and has been an acclaimed teacher, scholar, and administrator throughout his illustrious career of four and a half decades. He made immense contributions to the discipline and strived for its popularization both within and outside India. His research career can be divided into two phases: 1964–1980 and the post-1980s. During the first phase he was interested in understanding the long-term processes of urbanization in its regional context in developing countries, focusing on India, using quantitative methods. After accepting the position of Reader in Geography at the University of Delhi, his interests shifted to the study of natural resource management and the history of Indian geography, although he pursued his interest in urban geography as well. His contributions during the past five decades can be subdivided into four broad areas: urban geography, quantitative geography, natural resource management, and history of Indian geography. He continues to be actively engaged in research and publications, and his contributions serve as a model for young Indian geographers aspiring to become scholars.

Professor Baleshwar Thakur, 2013