Artisanship is the backbone of our culture and traditional livelihood. This is now under serious threats due to unabated globalization and the fall out therewith. While agriculture is considered as the core of rural economy in India, it has started showing stagnation and inability in absorbing mammoth rural unemployed mass as job providers. In this perspective, renewal and invigoration of artisans can make rural economy agile and belligerent, given an organized market in place is there to welcome the creativity, aesthetics and utility of traditional products and crafts, the products of rural artisans across India. The bookies a product of field research on the different factors and variances on rural artisans, near and around Shantiniketan, Birbhum, to offer the scholars and researchers with the methodological innovations and approaches in the concerned areas of studies and contemplations on artisans and artifacts of Rural India.
Mr. Sk. Mosaraf Hossain, born on 10n December, 1995, in Birbhum district of West Bengal, obtained his B.Sc. in Agricultural Sciences from Palli Siksha Bhavana (Institute of Agriculture), Visva Bharati, Birbhum, West Bengal in2017. He had obtained his MSc. (Ag.) in department of agricultural extension from the Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, and West Bengal in 2019with the First Class with OGPA 8.81. His pursuits of hard work and diligence are reflected in his PG thesis, 'Estimation and Interpretation of Artisanship in a Performing Social Ecology: Income, Efficiency and Impact', a unique empirical work under the exclusive supervision of Prof. S.K. Acharya, the dynamic flamboyant scientist in Agricultural Extension. Sofa he has attended one International Conference and given oral presentation.
Dr. Amitava Biswas, born in 1964, Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension, BCKV, is an eminent personality in the domain of Extension Science. He has been in teaching, research and extension for the last twenty two years in the Department of Agricultural Extension, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya (B.C. Agricultural University),Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal. He has built up an incredible acumen in Participatory Extension Methods, Indigenous Technical Knowledge, Rural Entrepreneurship and Developmental studies. So far he has authored 31 research papers in national and International Journals,13 books and a good number of popular articles. He is a good trainer in multi-discipline area and regular speaker in TV and Radio. He rendered administrative services as Deputy Director of Extension Education and Editorial Works as Editor of University farm Journal 'Krishi Bidhan'. For the last couple of years he has been with popular science movement. He has also been involved in some ACRP, NAIP,RKVY and ICARDA Projects.
Miss Riti Chatterjee, born on 18th November, 1994, in Hooghly district of West Bengal, obtained her B.Sc. in Agricultural Sciences from Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, West Bengal in 2016. She had obtained her M.Sc.(Ag.) in department of agricultural extension from the same university in 2018 as the First Class First in the university with OGPA 9.15, being the Goldmeda list. Her pursuits of hard work and diligence are reflected in her PG thesis, 'Occupational hazards and operating agro-ecosystem: the health and ecological dynamics of farm women', a unique empirical work under the exclusive supervision of Prof. S.K. Acharya, the dynamic flamboyant scientist in Agricultural Extension. So far she has attended 9 National and International Conferences and given oral and poster presentations which were largely appreciated and published 6 research papers on various national and international journal. She has already published three books on 'Occupational hazards and farm women : Agony and understanding' ,'Mango of Malda: The ecology and economy' and 'Project management: Premises, principles and practices'. She has qualified the National Eligibility Test for Assistant Professor conducted by UGC in her maiden attempt in May, 2017 and also the National Eligibility Test with ARS-Preliminary examination conducted by Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board (ASRB) in May, 2018.Currently, she is pursuing Ph.D in department of Agricultural Extension and working as Senior Research Fellow under Centre for Advanced Agricultural Science and Technology (CAAST)on Conservation Agriculture project under ICAR-NAHEP.
Prof. (Dr.) S.K. Acharya, former Head, Dept. of Agril Extension and Director, Extension Education, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, WB, born on 6thOctober, 1960, started his career as Assistant Professor at BCKV in 1988 and has been in teaching, research and extension over 30 years. An erudite teacher and an elegant speaker, Prof. Acharya, the topper in his M.Sc (Ag) academic career in Agril. Extension, is internationally acclaimed for his unique research domain of Social Entropy and Energy Metabolism, Social Ecology and Environmental Sociology, Enterprise Ecology Framework, Farm Stewardships: The Transition from Conservation, Technology Socialization Process, and The Social Ecology of Livelihood, which have got tremendous policyas well as scholastic importance. Research Publication: 169 in National and International Journals. Book Publication: 73 books authored/co-authored, covering topics Participatory Extension Planning and Management; Value addition and quality management, Extension Strategy for Natural Resource Management; Horticulture Management with Quality Issues, Technology Socialization Process; Fish Biodiversity; Income and Livelihood; Enterprise Management and Entrepreneurship Building; Women's participation in Panchayat; Gender Issues in Floriculture; Technology gap in Floriculture; Enterprise Synergy in Agriculture; Disaster Management; Social Metabolism, Farm Energy Metabolism, Community Perception on Climate Change, Social Entropy and Chaos, Research Areas of Publication: Community Forest Management and Role performance by EDC and FPC; Social forestry and community participation (paper published in Indian Forester); Technology Diffusion and Socialization, Primary Education :Dropout Problem, Nutrition and Livelihood; Fish Ecology and Community Indexing of Fish Biodiversity; Indigenous Knowledge and Wisdom Analysis; Development Communication; Diffusion Approach in Forestry and Animal Enterprise; PRA, PLA, BME, etc. Membership of Distinction: Chancellor Nominee on selection committee; Member of Agriculture Commission; Marketing and Extension Sub-Committee, Govt. of West Bengal; Expert member WWF projects in BTR (Buxa Tiger Reserve Project);Expert member; DFID project on Primary Education (DPEP); REIA, Visited Italy, France, Germany, China , Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Delivered 13 Keynote addresses in International Congress, Chaired 17 Sessions in International conferences, Editors of a score of national and international journals. He has so far been awarded with 9 best paper awards in National and International Conferences, Organizing Secretary of two International Conferences, held in the years, 2016 & 2018, Jointly Organized by Department of Agricultural Extension, BCKV, WB and Krishisanskriti, New Delhi. He has also been honored to be selected as the Convener of Panel (PE-32)entitled The hunger , poverty and silence, of IUAES, University of Manchester, UK, 2013 .Co-PI of ICAR and World Bank funded project CAAST on Conservation Agriculture. So far he has successfully guided 14 Ph.D scholars from BCKV, CU,KU, Vidyasagar University.
