Sociologist PKB Nayar passes away

Thiruvananthapuram: P K B Nayar, 96, a renowned sociologist and a pioneering figure in the fields of gerontology and women's studies, died here on Thursday.Nayar has five master's degrees and a PhD from the University of Pittsburgh before becoming the architect of the department of sociology at University of Kerala, where he served as head for 21 years. During this period, he founded Kerala Sociological Society and established India's first UGC-backed Centre for Women's Studies in 1983, followed by the Centre for Gerontological Studies.
His book, ‘Sociology in India: Problems and Promises', is considered a pioneering work in the field. His leadership extended to national and international levels, and he served as the president of Indian Sociological Society in 2007 and as a consultant for World Bank, WHO and International Labour Organization. In recognition of his lifelong commitment to social welfare, particularly through his innovative ‘age friendly grama panchayat' project, he was honoured by the President of India in 2014 with Vayoshreshtha Samman (lifetime achievement award). Nayar's wife was late K Indira Devi, and he is survived by his daughters Shobha B Nair and Sheela B Nayar. His mortal remains will be kept for public homage at his residence in Kochulloor from 8am to 2pm on Friday. The cremation will take place in Ernakulam on Saturday.