Basudeb & Renuka Biswas Scholarship Endowment

In May 2021, the Basudeb & Renuka Scholarship Endowment was established as a tribute to honor my parents, Basudeb and Renuka Biswas. My father taught in the Economics Department for 33 years, winning not only numerous awards but also the hearts and minds of his students. My father believed in the potential of every student who walked through his door and felt that he could help make a difference in their lives. 

This endowment is meant to be a lasting legacy of his passion for teaching and belief in the power of education. When complete, the Endowment will support scholarships for one undergraduate and two graduate students majoring in Economics or Finance in the Huntsman School of Business. 

To fully support three students at the intended level will require the endowment to be $1.2 million. It is a lofty goal but one that can be achieved through the generosity of those who share my father’s love of teaching and believe in the University’s capability to produce the next generation of leaders in academia, business and government. 

Below, Dr. Frank Caliendo shares his thoughts on his experience with my father as a student and a colleague. It is a touching tribute from one of my father’s brightest students. 

Please join me in supporting this Endowment and the many students who will benefit from it.

Sugata Biswas
Thousand Oaks, CA

I speak for thousands of Basudeb Biswas’s students spanning his 40-year career at USU—students and friends who are now spread across the entire world—when I say that Professor Biswas was simply extraordinary! In the record-books of USU’s greatest professors of all time, he will forever stand in a league of his own.

I know of no other professor who exceeds his focus on the success of his students. For him, teaching economics was a way of life. He didn’t need to work at it. He didn’t need to be trained to think of the welfare of his students. These things came naturally to him.

He never felt bound by traditional constraints. His lectures regularly went 20 to 30 minutes beyond the scheduled time. On one occasion, he felt that the typical January start date would not provide enough time to properly teach his spring semester course, so he notified all of his students that he intended to start class a few months early, in mid-October! If ever his students fell behind, it bothered him deeply at a personal level. He was known to call his students at home if they missed class and invite them to one-on-one review sessions to help them catch up. He didn’t count the time he spent, but he certainly counted the success of his students among his greatest achievements.

While I was just one of his many students, I felt that he truly cared for my individual welfare. I felt his kindness when he invited me to his home for dinner on multiple occasions, and when he complimented my abilities in the classroom when I was young and unsure of my role in the world. I felt that same kindness when he attended my wedding reception wearing a suit and tie with a big smile, taking time to talk with each of my family members and to share with my parents his confidence in my future. And I felt that same kindness when I had been away from Utah for some time and he called me on the phone to encourage me to come home to USU. 

My experiences with Basudeb are far from unique. We all have tremendous stories and deep gratitude for this legendary man! There is only one Basudeb Biswas, and I know we all aspire to be more like him. I am forever grateful that this giant of a man made his home in Cache Valley, and spent his career teaching and building the next generation of young students.

Dr. Frank Caliendo
Sr. Assoc. Dean, Jon M Huntsman School of Business
Utah State University

The Basudeb & Renuka Biswas Scholarship Endowment will support scholarships for undergraduate or graduate students majoring in Economics or Finance in the Huntsman School of Business.

Basudeb Biswas began his career at Utah State University in 1976 and spent the next 33 years teaching in the Economics Department. He is one of the most celebrated professors at Utah State, having previously won numerous teaching and advising awards from the College of Agriculture, USU Alumni Association, International Student Council, Huntsman School of Business, and the Department of Economics. In 2007, he won the University Graduate Mentor of the Year Award and in 2001 won the Eldon J. Gardner Teaching Award, otherwise known as the USU Teacher of the Year Award. He is known as a master teacher and outstanding researcher. He nurtures his students’ intellect by challenging them to reach higher in their research efforts and professional aspirations. Many students count Dr. Biswas as their mentor and friend. Through his students, Dr. Biswas has left an ongoing legacy that will continue for many years to come.

Awards Received:

1984 - Professor of the Year, Economics & Finance Department

1986 - Professor of the Year, Economics & Finance Department

1987 - Professor of the Year, International Students & Scholars Department

1987 - Professor of the Year, Jon M. Huntsman School of Business

1996 - Professor of the Year, Jon M. Huntsman School of Business

1998 - Professor of the Year, International Students & Scholars Department

2001 - USU Teacher of the Year, College of Agriculture & Applied Sciences

2001 - Eldon J. Gardner Teaching Award, Utah State University

2007 - Distinguished Professor Award, College of Agriculture & Applied Sciences

2007 - Outstanding Graduate Mentor, Jon M. Huntsman School of Business

2007 - Outstanding Graduate Mentor, Research Office

2008 - Distinguished Professor Award, College of Agriculture & Applied Sciences

Please join his family in honoring Basudeb & Renuka Biswas by making a donation to the Basudeb & Renuka Biswas Scholarship Endowment.