Samar Kumar Kundu
Obituary's Biography:
Our beloved husband and father Samar Kumar Kundu passed away on October 7, 2022, in Libertyville IL. He was born August 7, 1942, to Sushil Das Kundu and Suprava Das Kundu.
Samar had a deep love for his family and his work. Samar was the beloved husband to his wife of 57 years, Amita Kundu, beloved father to his children Jayeeta (Indranil) Mukherjee and Shilajit (Roopal) Kundu, a deeply loved grandfather/Dadu to his grandchildren Rohan, Nalin, Kiran, Nayana, and Nadiya, and a wonderful dog dad to Oscar.
A visitation will be held Sunday, October 9, 2022, from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm at Strang Funeral Chapel, 410 E. Belvidere Road, Grayslake, IL 60030. Visitation will end promptly at 1 pm. For more information, please call (847) 223-8122 or visit www.StrangFuneral.org.
Samar Kumar Kundu, Ph.D., D.Sc., was born in South Calcutta on August 7, 1942. The second son of his parents, and one of six children to Sushil and Suprava Kundu, he grew up a dedicated and bright student. After graduation from high school, Samar wanted to study science. He was admitted to Asutosh College in 1956 for an Intermediate of Science (I.Sc) and graduated in 1958. He excelled in Chemistry and decided to pursue a career and entered the Surendra Nath College in North Kolkata. He went on to the University Science College for M.Sc in Organic Chemistry and received his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry and D.Sc. in Bio-organic Chemistry from Calcutta University.
Over his 45-year career in research and development, he served as a lead and senior scientist, publishing over 65 scientific papers in international journals and books. He was credited with 15 US patents and 25 International patents. He has given numerous lectures in the United States and Internationally. His academic career started at the University of Calcutta as a Reader in Chemistry. After immigration to the US, he served as a Visiting Assistant Professor in Biochemistry and Immunology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, then as an Assistant Professor in Biochemistry and Experimental Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.Samar then began his corporate career in Industrial Research and Development in the Diagnostic Division of the Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, Illinois as a Senior Scientist, and later he was inducted into the prestigious Volwiler Society as a Fellow in 1998. During his tenure at Abbott, he was an editor for the National Institute of Health (NIH) Cholesterol Management Program, Consultant to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Immunodiagnostics, Visiting Professor at the Institute of Chemical Biology, Jadavpur, Kolkata, and Visiting Advisor for WHO at the National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi. Samar was recognized in WHO’S WHO in Marquis Frontier’s in Science and Technology and in Men of Achievement, UK. After a 20-plus year career at Abbott Laboratories, Samar became the Chief Scientist at Sword Diagnostics in 2006, a cutting-edge life sciences company created in response to the rapidly evolving needs of the research and pharmaceutical communities.
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Mr. Kundu was a very good friend of us. We will miss him dearly. May God bless the family with strength and peace going through this difficult time. Om Shanti
I used to see samarda in Gariahat market during winter months when I was visiting kolkata
He used to advise me what item to buy from which store in Gariahat market,
I also visited his school during scholarship distribution
During winter months
We will miss him dearly
Ranjit and Ilora ganguly
I am very sad to hear about Samarda. In our last interaction, I asked my wife to take a picture of him and me. He was a great person, humble, respectful and always eager to help. I will always remember his smiling face. His love for writing books on many subjects is quite inspirational. He will be dearly missed.
My deepest condolences to the family and friends of Samar. He was my friend and mentor and a most honorable and good person. The world is diminished with his passing. Peace to all.
We have lost one of the great pillar of oyur community. This loss can never be corrected.
It is time for us to remember Samarda through his great achievements, his great support and contribution to the community and his love for all of us.
Samarda will always be in our heart for ever.
Subrota Mukherjee
Samarda (In Bengali we call elder brothers as Dada or -da in the prefix) was one of our closest friends who will be missed greatly. He was one of the very few persons who used to call me (Manas) and chat at length. We met 30 years back and the friendship clicked right on and never faded even when we had moved to Iowa 18 years back. He was the main organizer of many of our get-togethers and picnics of our little “North Shore Bengali Community”. Later on, he and Amita became our travel partners as well.
Samarda was a great Scientist, be he never showed it off. In fact, he never had any pretense. Even if he missed something small during our conversation, he used to stop us with his characteristic “Wait wait wait..” which we will miss dearly. Samarda had a “lust for life” and did enjoy life to the fullest in his own terms.
We are glad that we could attend his last party on September 18, 2022. A week before that he had mentioned that it could be his last one. He probably had a premonition.
We do not have words to express our deepest sympathy to Amita, Babli, Som, Indra, Roopal, and the grandchildren.
We will cherish good memories of Samarda.
May Samarda have a peaceful voyage to his “Nijo Niketane” (own abode).
Manas and Maitreyee Roy
Tough to accept his demise, small mind we can let go of our dear ones; just a few weeks back he invited Many of us for his annual luncheon gathering, none of us had any clue to this. Almost twice a month we had long chat in wee hours. Discussion could be anything. Learnt a lot in clinical diagnostics from him, a hands down practical scientist, one who knew pathology. On a personal level he & late Kalyan da meant a lot to Jhuma & me, and our 4 kids, we started a new home. Samar da, you stay in our heart forever. God will have especial place for you, pray for Amita di, Som, Babli and the entire family to cope with this loss, for the community it’s Irreplaceable loss.
My deepest condolences to the Amitadi and the children. Samarda was gracious with his time and he was always there for the community. He will always be in our heart.
Samarda will be greatly missed. We have been friends for last 30 years. He used to call us regularly and chat for a long time. He was a people’s person. Later on, he and Amita became our travel partners. He hosted a las get-together in Chicago on September 18, 2022. We are glad that we could attend it. He was a brilliant scientist, and he never showed it off. He never had any pretense. He lived a full life and enjoyed it in his own terms.
We do not have any words to express our condolences to Amita, Babli, Som, Indra, Roopal, and the family. May Samarda have a peaceful journey to his “nijo Nikatane” (own abode).