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{{Short description|Indian condensed matter physicist (1936–2021)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Asok Kumar Barua (A.K.Barua)
| image = Prof.A.K.Barua.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1936|07|01}}
| birth_place = [[Calcutta]], [[West Bengal]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2021|05|30|1936|07|01}}
| death_place = Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| restingplace =
| restingplacecoordinates =
| othername =
| alma_mater = {{ublist | [[Presidency College, Kolkata|Presidency College]] (B.Sc.) | [[Rajabazar Science College]] (M.Sc.) | [[Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science|IACS]] (Ph.D.) }}
| occupation = [[Condensed matter physicist]]
| yearsactive = Since 1964
| known for = [[Solar Photovoltaics]], [[Optics]] and [[Optoelectronics]]
| spouse =
| domesticpartner =
| children =
| parents =
| website =
| awards = [[Padma Shri]]<br>Distinguished Materials Scientist of the Year Award<br>Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conference Award<br>ICSC-Materials Science prize
}}

'''Asok Kumar Barua''' (1 July 1936 – 30 May 2021) was an Indian [[condensed matter physicist]] and the honorary Emeritus Professor of [[Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology]], [[Shibpur]],<ref name="KIIT University">{{cite web | url=http://www.kiit.ac.in/icosep/speakers.html | title=KIIT University | publisher=KIIT University | date=2015 | access-date=9 February 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209175845/http://www.kiit.ac.in/icosep/speakers.html | archive-date=9 February 2015 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="IIEST">{{cite web | url=http://www.iiests.ac.in/academics/distinguished-prof | title=IIEST | publisher=Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur | date=2015 | access-date=9 February 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203000710/http://www.iiests.ac.in/academics/distinguished-prof | archive-date=3 February 2015 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}</ref> who focused on research in [[optics]] and [[optoelectronics]].<ref name="Microsoft Academic Search">{{cite web | url=http://65.54.113.26/Author/52561122/asok-kumar-barua | archive-url=https://archive.today/20150210052509/http://65.54.113.26/Author/52561122/asok-kumar-barua | url-status=dead | archive-date=2015-02-10 | title=Microsoft Academic Search | publisher=Microsoft Academic Search | date=2015 | access-date=9 February 2015 }}</ref> He was honoured by the [[Government of India]] in 2003 with [[Padma Shri]], the fourth highest Indian civilian award.<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web |url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |title=Padma Awards |publisher=Padma Awards |date=2015 |access-date=6 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |archive-date=15 October 2015 }}</ref>

==Biography==
Asok Kumar Barua was born on 1 July 1936<ref name="NSC">{{cite web | url=http://www.niic.nsc.ru/apam/members/india/india_m.html | title=NSC | publisher=NSC | date=2015 | access-date=9 February 2015 | archive-date=9 February 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209172418/http://www.niic.nsc.ru/apam/members/india/india_m.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> in Kolkata in the Indian state of [[West Bengal]].<ref name="KIIT University" /> He did his schooling at [[Hare School]] and graduated in Physics with honours from the [[Presidency College, Kolkata]].<ref name="KIIT University" /><ref name="IACS">{{cite web | url=http://www.iacs.res.in/eru/erakb/ | title=IACS | publisher=IACS | date=2015 | access-date=9 February 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209180051/http://www.iacs.res.in/eru/erakb/ | archive-date=9 February 2015 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}</ref> His masters studies were at the [[Rajabazar Science College]], [[Kolkata University]] (1956) after which he secured his PhD<ref name="NSC" /> in 1960<ref name="IACS" /> from the [[Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science]] (IACS) under the guidance of Professor B. N. Srivastava.<ref name="KIIT University" /> After completing his post doctoral research in USA, he started his career in 1964 by joining IACS<ref name="NSC" /> as a Reader where he became a professor in 1971,<ref name="RCAIS">{{cite web | url=https://www.rcais.res.in/akb.htm | title=RCAIS | publisher=RCAIS | date=2015 | access-date=9 February 2015}}</ref> a director in 1982 and worked there till 1989.<ref name="KIIT University" /><ref name="IACS" /><ref name="RCAIS Council">{{cite web | url=https://www.rcais.res.in/peopleofrcais.htm | title=RCAIS Council | publisher=RCAIS | date=2015 | access-date=9 February 2015}}</ref>

Barua had done research in optics and [[optoelectronics]] and had been credited with the indigenous development of [[amorphous silicon]] (a-Si) solar cells and solar modules<ref name="IACS" /><ref name="Techno india University">{{cite web | url=http://www.technoindiauniversity.ac.in/research1/tiusolar/index.php?id=8 | title=Techno india University | publisher=Techno india University | date=2015 | access-date=9 February 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209171209/http://www.technoindiauniversity.ac.in/research1/tiusolar/index.php?id=8 | archive-date=9 February 2015 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}</ref> including production technology and equipment.<ref name="KIIT University" /> He was also known to have developed a process for Radar opaque coating of aircraft canopies and windshields.<ref name="KIIT University" /> His researches have been documented by way of over 300 scientific papers published in peer reviewed journals of international stature.<ref name="KIIT University" /><ref name="Microsoft Academic Search" /><ref name="IACS" /> He had also mentored several students in their doctoral research.<ref name="KIIT University" /><ref name="IACS" /><ref name="RCAIS" />

An honorary professor of the [[Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology]], Shibpur<ref name="IIEST" /> from 2010-2018,<ref name="KIIT University" /> Barua was an elected fellow of the [[Indian Academy of Sciences]], Bangalore<ref name="Indian Academy of Sciences">{{cite web | url=http://www.ias.ac.in/php/fell_all.php3?alpha=B | title=Indian Academy of Sciences | publisher=Indian Academy of Sciences | date=2015 | access-date=9 February 2015}}</ref> and the West Bengal Academy of Science and Technology.<ref name="NSC" /><ref name="IACS" /><ref name="RCAIS" /><ref name="Techno india University" /><ref name="WAST Fellow">{{cite web | url=http://www.iicb.res.in/wast/fellow_wast.pdf | title=WAST Fellow | publisher=IICB | date=2015 | access-date=9 February 2015}}</ref> He had held the chair of the Research and Development committee of the [[Ministry of New and Renewable Energy]] under the [[Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission]] on solar [[photovoltaics]].<ref name="KIIT University" /> He had been a member of the Task Force on Solar Research Initiatives set up by the [[Department of Science and Technology (India)|Department of Science and Technology]].<ref name="KIIT University" /><ref name="NSC" /><ref name="IACS" /><ref name="RCAIS" /> He had served the Asia Pacific Academy of Materials as its member,<ref name="KIIT University" /> the Sixth International Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conference as its chairman,<ref name="RCAIS" /> the [[Indian Physical Society]] as its president<ref name="RCAIS" /> and [[Birla Industrial & Technological Museum|Birla Industrial and Technological Museum]] as the chairman of its governing council.<ref name="NSC" /><ref name="IACS" /> He was also associated with ''Hhv Center For Advanced Photovoltaic Technologies'' as an additional director.<ref name="Look n Find">{{cite web | url=http://www.looknfind.info/director/asok-kumar-barua/6540951 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20150210052548/http://www.looknfind.info/director/asok-kumar-barua/6540951 | url-status=dead | archive-date=10 February 2015 | title=Look n Find | publisher=Look n Find | date=2015 | access-date=9 February 2015 }}</ref>

Barua received the Distinguished Materials Scientist of the Year Award in 2002 from the Materials Research Society of India.<ref name="KIIT University" /><ref name="IACS" /> The [[Government of India]] honoured him in 2003 with the civilian award of [[Padma Shri]]. He was also a recipient of the Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conference Award from the Solar Energy Society of India<ref name="IACS" /> and ICSC-Materials Science prize of the Materials Research Society of India.<ref name="NSC" />

Barua died from [[COVID-19]] in Kolkata on 30 May 2021, at the age of 84.<ref>{{cite web |title=Condolence Message |url=https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0Vpf4fNv3dYky6yekG5pqeyD9DtVHWCjccuGgGMufPdpWMZA9dnDtzyvnvsgEj15Hl&id=106475831551059 |website=Asutosh Mookerjee Memorial Institute on Facebook |access-date=14 February 2024 |date=4 June 2021}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Optics]]
* [[Optoelectronics]]
{{div col end}}
{{portal|India|Science}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{cite web | url=http://65.54.113.26/Author/52561122/asok-kumar-barua | archive-url=https://archive.today/20150210052509/http://65.54.113.26/Author/52561122/asok-kumar-barua | url-status=dead | archive-date=2015-02-10 | title=Profile on Microsoft Academic Search | publisher=[[Microsoft Academic Search]] | date=2015 | access-date=9 February 2015 }}

{{2000s Padma Shri Award Recipients in Science & Engineering}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Barua, Asok Kumar}}
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in science & engineering]]
[[Category:Scientists from Kolkata]]
[[Category:Bengali scientists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian physicists]]

Asok Kumar Barua - Revision history

Startupoffices at 15:25, 25 November 2025