Rate My Professor P Kumbhakar

Pathik Kumbhakar is a Professor (Higher Academic Grade) in the Department of Physics at the National Institute of Technology, Durgapur, where he joined as a Lecturer in 1999 and has progressed through the ranks, including Assistant Professor from 2006 to 2009, Associate Professor from 2009 to 2012, Professor from 2012 to 2019, and Professor (HAG) since 2019. He obtained his Ph.D. in Physics from Burdwan University in 2003, specializing in experimental nonlinear optics, with a thesis titled 'Development of tunable lasers by non-linear optical techniques and some applications.' He also completed an M.Sc. in Physics with specialization in Radiophysics and Electronics in 1995 and a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Physics in 1993 from Burdwan University. Additionally, he conducted post-doctoral research at Tokyo University, Japan, in laser technology, nonlinear optics, and ultrafast phenomena. Kumbhakar has served in key administrative roles, including Head of the Department of Physics from April 2018 to March 2021 and Dean (Academic Research) from March 2021 to February 2024. He has supervised 15 Ph.D. students to completion and is currently guiding two more.

His research specializations include nanoscience and nanotechnology, nanophotonics, nonlinear optics, laser physics, ultrafast phenomena, nano gas sensors, random lasing, and triboelectric nanogenerators. He has authored over 175 research papers in internationally reputed journals, three books, and holds one Indian patent granted in 2024. His scholarly output has received 4956 citations, with an h-index of 40 and i10-index of 116 on Google Scholar as of June 2025. Kumbhakar has led multiple funded projects from DST, CSIR, and MHRD, including ongoing efforts on synthesis of semiconductor nanostructures for enhanced photoluminescence and photocatalytic properties, and development of 2D transition metal dichalcogenide nanostructures for dye degradation, light energy harvesting, and hydrogen production. His impact in the field is evidenced by awards such as Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2021), Fellow of West Bengal Academy of Science and Technology (2016), IAPT DSM Award (2015), Senior Member of OPTICA (2019), and inclusion in Stanford University's list of top 2% scientists for 2021, 2022, and 2024.