It was with shock and sadness that I heard about the loss of Professor Purkayastha. Although I have not met Debapratim, we had come to be long-distance friends and colleagues over the last twenty or so years. Starting with early editions of my textbook with Pearson ("International Management: Managing Across Borders and Cultures), I had sought out relevant cases to include in the books. It did not take me long to find that many of the best cases from any source were written by Debapratim, or co-authored by him, or overseen by him. I started to use them in my book and found that they were well received; indeed, I have several in my current 10th ed (2021). For each edition, Debapratim helped me to find a selection of cases appropriate to the topics. In fact, he often went beyond that in agreeing to update some favorite cases and tailor them to the subject matter. It also became clear to me that he conveyed his excellence in case-writing to colleagues and students. He has left a legacy of excellence and professionalism.

Debapratim was such a buoyant figure, full of vitality and insight. He will be greatly missed by case method practitioners all around the world.

I feel privileged to count him as a friend and am deeply saddened.

Our thoughts are with Somali and Supratim, and with you and all our friends at IBS.

Devastating news! Debapratim will be greatly missed by so many and my heart goes out to his family and colleagues. His legacy will certainly live on and he will always be remembered with fondness and much respect.

Through the years, Debapratim was an influential and important member of the case community. He was a pleasure to work and collaborate with, and I know we all have many wonderful memories of him. It’s so terribly sad that his life has been cut short, but he leaves an amazing legacy behind. Few people have had such an impact on a field of work as Debapratim had on the case method.

We were very sad to hear of the passing of Debapratim Purkayastha. Dr Purkayastha was an inspirational, creative, and accomplished case researcher and teacher, who was a regular contributor to NACRA and the Case Research Journal. He was an award-winning author, a strong advocate of student-centered learning, and a mentor to many young scholars. His passing is a tragic loss to our community of case researchers. We will miss Debapratim’s friendship, energy, and commitment to the use of cases to develop the next generation of managers around the world. We send our condolences to his family and friends in India and around the world.

It is with great sadness that I learned of the passing away of Professor Purkayastha. We had met about three years ago when “Prof. Deb” was in Paris, and had been in touch since then. He struck me as a passionate and inquisitive mind, that, sadly, will now be missed. My thoughts go out to his family, friends, and colleagues.

Debapratim was an incredibly gifted case writer and mentor to other case writers. His ability to see case writing as both an art and science was wonderful – he even published a graphic novel style case which was one of the most creative and effective cases I have ever seen. His reputation as a case scholar is international and his collaborators span the globe. He was a valued member of the Editorial Board of Case Research Journal for many years. He was always engaging and kind and simply a lovely human being. Deb will be missed by many and his impact on management education will continue in our classrooms across the world.

Prof. Debapratim Purkayastha firstly was a mentor and colleague. A friend too. He went out of his way to support my work and research on the presence (or rather lack of) women in case papers. He encouraged me often. I was so honoured when he invited me to collaborate in writing a case paper together. It went on to win an award. His case writing skill was legendary and I am blessed to have been taught by him. We also worked as judges on Emerald Publishing’s inaugural competition for cases written with women leaders last year. I have a fond memory of spending an afternoon in London together where we walked, taking in the sites such as Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament. I will miss him, his work, and his encouragement greatly. He was a kind and generous man. He has left us a great legacy in his case writing and teaching.

Debapratim made an enormous contribution to the critical case writing community at the United States-based Academy of Management over many years. He was a regular contributor to the Dark Side Case Competition hosted by the Critical Management Studies division, which encourages case writing that addresses the dark side of contemporary capitalism. Debapratim won the competition three times, in 2018 (with Syeda Maseeha Qumer); 2017 (with Syeda Maseeha Qumer and Vijaya Narapareddy); and in 2015. Debapratim was also deeply committed to sharing his case method expertise and was involved in delivering many workshops at the annual meeting on different aspects of case writing and teaching. He leaves a valuable and lasting legacy.

Dr. Debapratim Purkayastha was an accomplished business professor and scholar. More importantly he was a wonderful son, husband and father. His influence, leadership and kindness are cherished by his family and colleagues. Professionally, Debapratim was a gifted writer who used his talents to produce intellectual contributions of the highest quality. He was a prolific case researcher, with his publications being utilized at hundreds of universities. His work will impact the professional careers of business students across the world who will benefit from his scholarly activity.

The world has lost a leading case author and a humble human being at a young age. I had collaborated and coordinated with Prof Debapratim Purkayastha in an online discussion as part of a pre-NACRA conference video last year. I still remember the experiences he shared and his willingness to take on the responsibility of editing the video. The cases he authored will live for long to speak of his glory... May his soul rest in peace.

Dr. Debapratim Purkayastha was a great man, a wonderful intellectual, admired by all. His contributions to making IBS-CRC known globally as one of the top case study publishers will remain forever. His sudden departure to his heavenly abode is a great loss for the ICFAI Family.

I got to know Prof. Debapratim (Deb as I fondly called him) in the year 2008 when I joined ICFAI Business School. Within a very short span of time, I saw Dr Deb grow and mature into a professional case writer, an achievement which many would have found challenging. He was the Top Case author in the world for five consecutive years for which he competed with the Who’s Who of the case writing fraternity. This was due to his intense focus, driven by clearly laid down objectives for himself and his team at the Case Research Center. Dr Deb had the big picture of the context in which he and his team worked. He had the rare gift of being able to foresee the future of a business unfold. As a person, he was affable and always approachable. He worked hard for the team and the organization he represented, could easily connect with his colleagues, and was always ready to lend a helping hand. He leaves behind a big void that will be difficult to fill. May his soul rest in peace.

I find it hard to believe that Dr Debapratim Purkayastha, Director, IBS Case Center, is no longer with us. I had the honor of coworking with him in publishing his Case Folio – The IUP Journal of Management Case Studies. Dr Debapratim was such an entrepreneurial visionary that he developed case studies in different subsets of Management that brought him laurels from all over the world. Working with devotion and scholarship, he carved a niche for the IBS Case Center in the world of Management Case Studies. Despite his remarkable achievements as a case writer and a teacher of case writing, he conducted himself with his trademark simplicity and humility. We at IUP Publications will miss his editorship and companionship. My heartfelt condolences to his family.

Debapratim has left behind a legacy which will be hard for others to match, but it will guide many.

Words cannot convey the loss caused by the sudden demise of our beloved Director, Prof Debapratim Purkayastha. He was truly a great mentor in addition to being a role model, advisor, and brilliant educator. When I started out as a research associate at ICMR in 2008, I was fortunate to be a part of his team of case writers. Under his guidance, I learnt the craft of case writing and thereafter co-authored several award-winning case studies with him. Prof Debapratim’s contribution to the case method is invaluable. He ensured that the case method of teaching was an integral part of the ICFAI group of institutions and beyond. We at CRC will cherish his leadership forever and continue to uphold his legacy and commitment to case-based learning. To quote Terry Pratchett: “No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away.”

Prof Debapratim’s name is synonymous with case study research across management institutions in India and abroad. He had exceptional qualities and was the brand ambassador of our organization IFHE. As an award-winning and bestselling author across the world, he made IFHE a name to reckon with in case research methodology. He was a pioneer in developing and popularizing this methodology and was a renowned case teacher. His is an irreparable loss for the whole ICFAI family as well as the CRC team that has lost its guide and guardian. His numerous cases and publications will, however, ensure that he will always remain in our memory. He has left us with a strong legacy in management research, which we can take forward. That will be the greatest tribute we can pay him.

I was privileged to start writing cases under the direction of Prof Debapratim Purkayastha when I joined CRC in 2015. I was struck by his dedication to work and his genial mentoring style. He encouraged me to choose good topics and guided me in every aspect of case writing. I am proud to say in association with him, I too won some case awards. Under his stewardship, the CRC became one of the most prolific case research centers in India. The fraternity of Indian management education and ICFAI have lost one of their stalwarts. He will be dearly remembered by his colleagues as a beloved case evangelist and as a person of the highest integrity and sincerity. He will live on through his cases taught around the world.

Prof. Debapratim Purkayastha’s contribution to the case method was not limited to the huge repository of cases that he created; he also took the Case Research Center (CRC) to new heights with his able leadership and the innumerable awards he won. I consider myself fortunate to have worked with him and will always remember the intricacies of case writing that I learnt from him. His absence has created a void in the world of academia that will be difficult to fill.