Mysore :
Dr. H.A.B. Parpia (91), former Director of Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore and Founder-Member of Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP), passed away at 7.30 am early this morning at his residence in Emerald Enclave, behind Infosys, Mysore.
He leaves behind his wife Carolyn Wilkes of Corvallis, Oregon whom he married in 1953, two sons — Fareed and Ijaz who reside in the US; two daughters — Sheralyn, who resides in Italy and Juli, who has married Vivek Cariappa, the well-known Organic farmer who resides at Krac-a-Dawna Organic Farm in H.D. Kote taluk.
As per Parpia’s last wish, his body was donated to the Mysore Medical College and Research Institute in city today.
A large number of his admirers, well-wishers and friends paid their last respects to the departed soul.
A profile
Born on September 5, 1922, Dr. Parpia was taught by private tutors until the age of 10 and then went to Primary and Secondary School in Burhanpur, Maharashtra and Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
After spending a year in “SEVAGRAM” Mahatma Gan-dhi’s Centre at Wardha as a volunteer, he finished High School in Bharda New High School, Bombay and also studied at St. Xavier’s College, University of Bombay.
He completed Bachelor’s Degree in Microbiology (Industrial & Medical) and Chemistry with first class Honors in 1946. He studied Food Technology at the University of California, Berkeley, California for one Semester, then moved on to Oregon State University for further advanced study and completed his Ph.D in 1951. After returning to India in 1952, he joined Pure Products and Madhu Canning Ltd., Bombay as Chief Technologist and Production Manager (1952-56).
Dr. Parpia joined CFTRI (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-CSIR), Mysore, as Asst. Director in charge of Information, Statistics, Process Development and Food Plant Design in 1956. He was promoted as Asst. Director General, CSIR, 1959 in charge of Industrial Liaison Office and Extension (at that time CSIR had 45 National Research Laboratories as its component parts), Delhi.
He joined Kisan Products Limited in 1961 (an Associate Company of Cadberry – Schwepps of UK) as Chief Executive, Bangalore.
Dr. Parpia was requisitioned by the Government of India to work as Chief Defence Research Co-ordinator of CSIR during India’s war with China, 1962, Delhi.
Dr. Parpia was appointed Director of CFTRI in 1963 as well as Director of FAO International Food Technology Training Centre at CFTRI and also Director of International School of Milling Technology at the Institute, 1972.
He joined Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations, Rome, as Senior Officer in charge of Agro-Food Industries Development, 1972.
He was appointed Principal Adviser, UN Conference on Science and Technology, 1978 for Development, New York. He has visited over 70 countries to help them write their country papers on need of science and technology for accelerating their development and improving the quality of life, as a preparation for the Vienna Programme of Action to be prepared by the Conference. He was appointed Director of Planning and Evaluation at the UN University Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, 1981. He has prepared total scheme for creation of Ministry of Food Processing Industry, Government of India. He retired in 1994 and returned to Mysore.
CFTRI condoles Dr. Parpia’s death
Mysore, July 9- The Director and staff of Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) have in a press release condoled the death of Dr. H.A.B. Parpia, who served as the Director of the premier food research Institute from 1963 to 1972.
Paying tributes to Dr. Parpia, Prof. Ram Rajasekharan, Director, CSIR-CFTRI, said: “Dr. Parpia was instrumental in taking the Institute to a global platform. Besides, he was an exemplary humanitarian and would go to great extent to take up social causes. The Institute remembers him for the fine human being and the leader that he was.”
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / July 09th, 2013