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In memory of

Dr. Sumit Roy

Burt, NY, USA

December 10, 1940 - May 26, 2021

Dec 10, 1940 - May 26, 2021

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It is with the deepest sadness and the warmest heartfelt memories that we regretfully announce the passing of Dr. Sumit Roy, on Wednesday morning, May 26. He died, peacefully, at home surrounded by his loving family. He was the son of late Bikash Roy and late Kamala Roy. He is survived by his wife, Bithi, his two children, Shomik (Anita) and Oorbee (Sanjeev), and grandchildren, Ananya, Priyanka, Avnee, and Rohan.

Sumit graduated from Mitra Institute in 1954, then Presidency College in 1956. He continued his education at B.E. College where he graduated in 1960. After working in Kolkata for a short time, Sumit left for the US in 1964 to pursue a PhD in artificial intelligence. As an immigrant, Sumit was on the cusp of the great South Asian diaspora. A graduate of the Illinois Institute of Technology, Sumit was soon hired by Bell Labs during the company’s golden age.

A stalwart of the information age, Sumit was a trailblazer at Bell Labs. Of his many accomplishments, he showed the most pride in being a member of the 3B2 Microprocessor group as well as the cellular systems unit, Autoplex. A member of the Bell Labs team for 27 years, Sumit was a well-respected and hard-working employee of their Research and Development program and often spoke fondly of the friendships he forged along the way. On the cutting edge of technology, he was never shy in sharing the latest innovations with the people he thought might appreciate it the most.

As an intellectual’s intellectual, Sumit was an eager student in the pursuit of understanding epistemology. Although always curious about others, Sumit’s dry wit and wry humor made the people he spoke with comfortable. Considered a mentor by many, Sumit was always the first one to champion the accomplishments of his peers and colleagues.

A connoisseur of music and literature, Sumit was an expert of both the English and Bengali languages. A diehard fan of Rabindranath Tagore, Sumit was able to recite Tagore poems and sing Rabindra Sangeet songs off the cuff and extemporaneously. As such, he was a founding member of the Rabindra Sangeet school, Antara. His library of Bengali literature was well known and he cherished his books with care.

Sumit, a naturalized citizen, was a proud American. Always grateful to the country that gave him a chance, Sumit, tried to repay his adopted country by paying his taxes and doing his civic duty. Well informed on US current events he spoke passionately about politics and government. His last days were spent reading the news and having insightful debates with family and friends.

He enjoyed what he did, but, more so, he loved his family. A generous and kind man, he always said his greatest contributions to the world were his children. Furthermore, his love knew no bounds when it came to his grandchildren.

A memorial to celebrate his life will be planned for a later date. In lieu of flowers, the Roy family asks that you send donations to help maintain Sumit's Tagore Gitabitan.net website here: https://bit.ly/3p0Jj8T

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