Dr. Kushal Konwar Sarma was born in a rural hamlet in lower Assam on March 1, 1961. He received a National Scholarship and graduated from the College of Veterinary Science, AAU, in 1984. As an in-service candidate, he earned his master’s degree in veterinary surgery and radiology in 1987 and his doctorate in the same subject in 1994. In the Department of Surgery & Radiology at Assam Agricultural University (AAU), he began as an Assistant Professor in 1987 and was elevated to Professor in 2006. Since 2012, he has served as his department’s head.
Known as the “Elephant Man of Asia,” Dr. Sarma is well-known around the world for his contributions to the management, protection, and health of wild animals. Thousands of wild creatures throughout the world have been spared death because to the services he has provided in this area. His unwavering efforts have significantly altered public perceptions of wild animal care and conservation in India, especially with regard to the survival and well-being of Asian elephants and one-horned rhinoceroses, an impact that has been acknowledged on a worldwide scale.
Dr. Sarma, the 1984 AAU Veterinary Graduates Gold Medalist, has received several national and international honours and recognitions. In 1997, he was awarded the esteemed Dr. S. J. Anjelo Gold Medal by the Indian Veterinary Association. The Chief Minister of Assam presented him with the “Award of Excellence” (2012) in appreciation of his exceptional efforts to save stray rhinos from an environment overrun by humans. The esteemed titles of “Fellow” from the Indian Society of Animal Production and Management (2020) and the Indian Society for Veterinary Surgery (2012) were bestowed upon him.
North Carolina State University in the United States awarded Dr. Sarma a “Certificate of Recognition for commitment to Asian elephant conservation, health, and welfare” in 2014. The distinction of being named the “Elephant Man of Asia” (2018) and receiving the “Award of Excellence” from Prof. Jagdish Mukhi, the Hon’ble Governor of Assam. The esteemed Padmashree award (2020) has been granted to Dr. Sarma in recognition of his contributions to the veterinary medical area.
Dr. Sarma has guided 45 students in their PhD and MVSc programmes in veterinary science, published over 100 popular articles in various English or vernacular journals, authored six books, co-authored or contributed chapters in seven books, and over 150 research papers in national and international scientific journals. He is on the editorial boards of two prestigious national publications and one international (Chiang Mai University, Thailand). As a principal investigator and co-investigator.
Dr. Sarma has conducted two studies. In the field of medicine, his collaboration with IIT Guwahati on “Electrospun silk polyaniline conduits for functional nerve regeneration in rat sciatic nerve injury model” was highly praised.
In addition to her vast travels, Dr. Sarma worked as an international elephant expert for one month in Indonesia and is now a guest lecturer at North Carolina State University and New Mexico University in the United States. He has overseen the relocation of rhinos in Nepal’s Chitwan National Park. He has served as the course director or organising secretary for a number of national and international seminars, conferences, and training sessions.
Dr. Sarma is on the boards of the Assam and Tripura State Board of Wildlife, the Central Zoo Authority, the Government of India’s Project Elephant, the Steering Committee for Captive Elephant Healthcare and Welfare, and the Zoo and Circus Elephant Evaluation Committee. He has held the positions of Vice President of the Indian Society for Veterinary Surgery and Chairman of the Blue Cross Society, Assam. He is a member of the IUCN, the Asian Elephant Specialist Group, and the EEHV Asia Working Group at the moment.