Prof K.S. Murthy, completed his M.Sc. by thesis at the Andhra University, Visakhapattanam (then Waltair), A.P., in 1953. He started his career as Demonstrator, Andhra University in 1955 and moved to Rangoon as Assistant Lecturer and Head, Department of Geology, Moulmein College, University of Rangoon, Myanmar (then Burma). In 1958 Prof Murthy, was appointed as Lecturer, Geology Department, Nagpur University. By 1959 he joined as a Lecturer, Delhi Polytechnic, Delhi, continuing there till 1963, as a Lecturer at Nagpur University then was not a permanent post for him. But when offered a permanent post, he again rejoined the Geology Department, Nagpur University in 1963. Thereafter, Prof Murthy obtained his postgraduate training diploma (UNESCO and University of Vienna) from Vienna, Austria in 1965-66. After more than three decades of meritorious service, he retired in 1991 as Reader from the Geology Department, Nagpur University, and continued as contributory teacher till 1995 thereafter. He was founder Treasurer from 1981-86 and later Secretary and Editor of the Gondwana Geological Society (GGS) till 1992.

A few among the 20 seminars, workshops and conferences Prof Murthy attended abroad and presented papers on varied topics include, European Sedimentology Congress, Vienna (1965), 2nd International Oceanographic Congress, Moscow (1966), 2nd International Miami Conference on Alternate Energy Source, Miami (1979), 8th International Geochemical Exploration Symposium, Hanover (1980), IAHS International Symposium on Hydrological Forecasting, Oxford (1980). He also attended about 20 such seminars in India too. These academic pursuits adequately showcase Prof Murthy’s scholastic abilities.

At the P.G. Geology Department, Nagpur University, Prof Murthy taught igneous petrology, structural geology, industrial mineralogy and atomic mineralogy. To start with, he himself had admitted, that he burnt the midnight electricity to study these subjects. He worked under Profs Sripadrao Kilpady, Dr P.C. Pande, Dr Y.G. Dekate, Dr G.G. Deshpande and Dr N.K. Mohabey as Heads of the Department. Apart from being a much- revered faculty member, Prof Murthy also took a very keen interest in updating the Geology Department’s library that then housed some extremely precious earth science publications.

Prof Murthy at age 92, upon our request penned an extremely well chronicled article “PGTD and Me” on his academic journey and his career for the GGS souvenir in 2023. This souvenir was released during the inaugural session of GGS organised “National Seminar on Conventional, Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change” on 23.06.2023.

My classmates and I were fortunate to have Prof Murthy as faculty member for both of our post-graduate excursions during the first and final year MSc (Tech). He showed a tremendous zeal for field work and his stamina and endurance in the field then at 40 plus left many of us only in our 20’s then, gasping for breath. Prof Murthy meticulously kept the account of all amounts, collected from students to cover expenditures during the long tours to the last paisa. Soft spoken and disciplined always, he was very much liked by his peers and also respected by his students and also the non-teaching staff. His exchange of “Good morning” messages with me on WhatsApp was very regular till 6th December 2024. Unable to connect after 7th December, it was sadly learnt soon, that he was indisposed.

Prof Murthy was a rare personality, who always preferred to walk reasonable distances and take public transport for the longer ones. He never ever owned any motor vehicle of his own. Walking and his disciplined lifestyle kept him fit and young. His wife was keeping indifferent health and Prof Murthy had to take care of her at home. He had revealed this to me while attending a GGS AGM at the AMD, Central Region, about 12 years ago. Sadly, his wife had predeceased him. Prof Murthy passed away on 25th December 2024 at Pune, leaving behind his daughter and three sons, their families and relatives, besides his vast circle of ex-students to mourn the loss.

Prof Murthy will be best remembered as a very good academician, scholar, the gem of a personality and for his physical fitness and endurance that kept him going all through.