08/10/2025
October 5, 2025, will forever remain a dark day for us. We lost not only a leader but the very foundation upon which this lab was built — Prof. Pushpak Bhattacharyya
Since the inception of the AI-NLP-ML Lab in June 2015, Prof. Pushpak’s vision has been the central force behind its establishment. With fellow torchbearers Dr. Asif Ekbal and Dr. Sriparna Saha - nurtured under his guidance and vision-he stood as the lab’s strongest pillar, shaping it with his principles, unmatched expertise, and foresight. What began as a dream a decade ago now stands as a lab of national and international repute, a testament to his unwavering guidance that continues to inspire the lab today.
To speak of his contributions feels almost inadequate. His teaching proficiency was simply unmatched — a gift that touched every student fortunate enough to sit in his classroom. His research vision was crystal clear, uncompromising in integrity, and always ahead of its time. At a moment when academia often gets lost in the race of publishing for numbers, he reminded us what it means to do research the right way. His contribution to the NLP community made him the President of ACL, the highest international governing body of computational linguistics and NLP.
But what we will miss most goes beyond the technical. By watching him, we absorbed values that will forever stay with us — his work ethic, his integrity, his preparedness, his courage to stand firm in the toughest situations, and his never back down spirit. These were not lessons he taught explicitly; they were lessons we absorbed by watching him live them every single day.
He believed that a truly educated individual is one who is not only knowledgeable but also healthy in mind and body, capable of contributing meaningfully to society. All-round development of a student involves nurturing every aspect of their personality — intellectual, physical, emotional, social, and moral. He used to motivate us to take care of physical health, and do regular exercise and sports in building stamina, discipline, and teamwork. We remember how he himself used to participate with us in cricket, and badminton.
Today, we are shaken by his untimely departure. The sense of loss is immeasurable. Yet in this grief, we also feel deeply blessed that over the years, knowingly or unknowingly, he helped us learn to become our own pillars. That quiet strength he passed on to us will now carry his legacy forward. Today, as per CS core ranking, our lab ranks in the top-3 in India for NLP research.
Prof. Pushpak’s life was a gift — to his students, to this lab, and to the broader world of NLP. His vision, kindness, and unwavering principles will continue to guide us, in both academia and industry.
Rest in peace, Sir . You will forever remain in our hearts and in the soul of the AI-NLP-ML Lab.
“जैसे पुष्पक विमान अनगिनत रत्नों से अलंकृत था, वैसे ही प्रो. पुष्पक अपने ज्ञान, सिद्धांतों और मूल्यों से हमें समृद्ध कर गए।”
