Dr. Gobinda Das, age 73, of Hopewell Junction, NY, passed away peacefully at his home on January 18, 2014, surrounded by loving family and friends. Gobinda was born on June 28, 1940 in Lohagara, in East Bengal. He left East Bengal in 1949 and eventually settled in Baranagar, in North Kolkata, West Bengal. Gobinda completed his undergraduate degree from Presidency College (I.Sc.) and received his engineering degree from Bengal Engineering College in Shivpur, West Bengal. In 1962, he was offered a scholarship to study at the University of California, Berkeley, where he received his masters' degree in Materials Science. Upon completing his Ph.D in metallurgy at Case Western Reserve University, he was recruited to work at IBM East Fishkill in 1969. He had a long and illustrious scientific career in electron microscopy, semiconductor research, and chip to substrate interconnectivity, with several patents, manuscripts, presentations, and book chapters recognizing his innovative contributions to the field.

In addition to his passion for science, Gobinda was an ardent fan of Bengali literature, art, and culture. As one of the earliest Bengali immigrants to the Hudson Valley, he was committed to inculcating an appreciation of "all things Bengali" in both his own family and his community. A natural leader and community organizer, he was founding member of the Mid-Hudson Valley Bengali Association. Rebelling against caste restrictions and tradition, Gobinda took the bold step of teaching himself religious and ceremonial practices and building upon his Sanskrit language expertise to conduct pujas and ceremonies celebrating rites of passage for his community. From his early days at Berkeley, he was a knowledgeable mentor to more recent immigrants on adjusting to life in the United States. He was a loyal and devoted friend, particularly compassionate and generous to his friends and community members experiencing misfortune.

He reveled in his adopted new homeland's natural beauty, enjoying fishing, camping, and visiting scenic attractions. He loved to travel spontaneously—without reservation or plans—once deciding on a trip to the Jersey shore late in the evening, packing up the kids and in-laws and heading off before dawn. His love of the outdoors, particularly the forest and the mountains, inspired his choice of where he built his dream home, customizing the plans, attending to minute details, and nestling his home close to a giant elm tree on an old apple orchard.

Gobinda was an amazing cook, combining Western and Indian spices and cooking techniques, who loved to entertain and share his latest inventions with his family and friends. He was also an ardent sports fan, playing tennis, coaching his son's soccer team, and rooting for the Cleveland Browns.

He is survived by wife, Tapati Das, of Hopewell Junction, and his son, Kanad Das, and his daughter Moupali Das, both of San Francisco. He was pre-deceased by his father Krishnadas Das and his mother Kalidasi Das, and his sisters Renu Dutta and Gita Bhaduri, all of Kolkata, India. He is survived by his siblings in Kolkata, Benu Dey, Chandi De, Rita Dey, Bithika Dhar, and Asok Das, and Gopal Das of Connecticut.

The Memorial Service will take place at the McHoul Funeral Home, 895 Route 82, Hopewell Junction, NY from 11am to 1pm on Tuesday, January 21st.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations in honor of Gobinda Das be made to the Diabetes Action and Research Foundation. http://www.diabetesaction.org/site/PageServer?pagename=donate_main