K Devarajan of CUIET no more

Kurumbur Devarajan, former head of department, Department of Printing Technology, Institute of Engineering and Technology University of Calicut passed away on 28 October 2021.

Devarajan was also the managing director of Empire Press in Kozhikode and had been serving the print industry for over half a century.

He was recently honoured and felicitated by the All India Federation of Master Printers (AIFMP) in a gala online programme. On Teacher's Day (5 September 2021), AIFMP took up the challenge to acknowledge the roots of printing in India.

Devarajan studied in MCC High School in Kozhikode and graduated from Malabar Christian College (1960-1963). He also did his graduation from Germany.

He helmed the Empire Press for over 42 years and headed the Department of Printing Technology at CUIET from 2001 to 2005 and worked as a professor in CUIET till 2012. He was also the former principal of Krishna Institute of Printing Technology in Kozhikode.

He also served as a visiting professor for BSc Printing technology at University of Calicut and lifetime member of Association of Printing Technology Engineers (APT-E).

"It's only because of him (Devarajan) that the Printing Technology branch was established in CUIET in 2001, which was a great milestone in the history of University of Calicut. The whole printing alumnus who is working in and around the world are really proud to say that he is the only person who equipped B-Tech Printing Technology in Kerala,” Deepu Punnasseri, chairman-Board of Examination (B-Tech Printing Technology), University of Calicut and assistant professor and head, Department of Printing Technology, CUIET told PrintWeek.

“I am so honoured to say that I am one of his students. More than a teacher, he was a great mentor and motivator in the field of printing. His sad demise will be a great loss to the whole printing fraternity. My heartfelt condolences. Om shanti!"