Dr B G Katpatal: Eminent scientist, fine person
| Date :31-Jul-2020 |
By Dr Yashwant B Katpatal :
Dr B G Katpatal, an eminent scientist, who spent his life doing research on cattle, left for heavenly abode on July 18, 2020. He was a fine example of personality with malice towards none, honesty, straight-forward approach, and full of empathy for all, and still successful in achieving what he strived for. Born at Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, and educated at Government Veterinary College, Jabalpur, and Madras; and University of Illinois, USA, Dr Katpatal achieved several milestones.
During 1954-94, he worked as Dean, Faculty and Dean, College of Veterinary Sciences, Jabalpur; Dean, Veterinary College, Anjora, Durg (Founder Dean); Director (Instruction) JNKVV, Jabalpur; Project Co-ordinator, National Project on Animal Breeding at Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, UP; Professor and Head, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Senior Scientist, Research Officer, Manager (Livestock Farm), Demonstrator at JNKVV, Jabalpur; and Veterinary Assistant Surgeon with Madhya Pradesh Government. Dr B G Katpatal stayed at USA from 1967 to 1970 for his PhD.
He was invited to Milk Marketing Board, England and Sweden in 1970. He was appointed by Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), Rome of UN, to Expert Committee to evaluate Animal Breeds at Warsaw, Poland in 1975. FAO also invited him as Dairy Expert Consultant in 1979. He was invited as Expert on Zebu Cattle at First World Conference at Mexico in 1976. He was nominated by ICAR as Member of Indo-Soviet delegation to USSR to deliver lectures under World symposium at Baku and Azerbaijan, USSR in 1977. FAO invited him to deliver expert lecture on milk and meat production at Warsaw, Poland again in 1978. Brazil Government appointed him as an expert consultant and advisor on Cattle Breeding. He visited Brazil in 1982. Later, he was also invited to Guatemala.
Dr Katpatal guided eight students for PhD degree and 15 for MVSc. He published 148 National and International papers. He received ‘Jeevan Gaurav Award’ in 2008 from SVA; ‘Bishnu Sudama Award’ from Indian Veterinary Association in 1992. He was Honorary Fellow of National Academy of Veterinary Sciences in 1996; Member of Veterinary Council of India; Member of Genetic Association of India; Member of Indian Dairy Association of India. He was also Vice-President of Chinmay Mission, Jabalpur (1992-95), and Secretary of Bhagwat Seva Samiti, Nagpur. After his retirement, Dr B G Katpatal obtained ‘Jyotish Shastri’ Degree. He was also appointed as ‘Monitor’, ‘Advisor’, and ‘Project Formulator’ to review projects on livestock and rural development financed by CAPART, New Delhi in 1998.
He was appointed Leader of Expert Consultants to National Dairy Development Board in 2001 to review status of dairy development in 11 States of India. He was consultant to Vidarbha Nature Conservation Society and Gorakshan Sabha, Nagpur. Apart from this, he was member of selection committees and PhD examiner at several Universities. Dr Katpatal was a religious person and enjoyed spending his evenings at temples. He will remain source of inspiration for many. He has two sons Dr Yashwant Katpatal, who is Professor at VNIT, Nagpur; and Jayant Katpatal, National Sales Manager in a veterinary medicine firm at Pune. (The author is son of Dr B G Katpatal, and Professor, HAG, Department of Civil Engineering, VNIT, Nagpur.)