Dr Jayanta Sthanapati, son of Mrs Malina Sthanapati and Mr Ananta Bhusan Sthanapati, was born in Kolkata in 1951. After completing schooling at Jadavpur Vidyapith, in Kolkata, he went to Jadavpur University (JU) and studied physics. From JU he received B. Sc. (Physics Honors) and M. Sc. (Physics) degrees.
Sthanapati in his college days had earned First prizes from Jadavpur University, Jagadis Bose National Science Talent Search and Birla Industrial & Technological Museum for innovative scientific model making.
During 1973-78 Sthanapati was a Research Fellow in the Department of Magnetism (now Solid State Physics) of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), Kolkata. Based on his experimental research work in IASC he then earned PhD (Physics) degree from the University of Calcutta.
Jayanta Sthanapati started his career in National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) as a Curator in 1978. He served the NCSM for thirty-three years and held positions of Director, Birla Industrial and Technological Museum; Director, NCSM (Headquarters); and Deputy Director General, NCSM. After his superannuation from regular service in 2011, he wrote a doctoral thesis in the history of science and earned PhD (History) degree from Jadavpur University in 2013.
Dr Sthanapati had worked as a Research Associate with Prof Samarendra Nath Sen during 1990-91 for a research project in the history of science sponsored by the Indian National Science Academy (INSA).
He had further researched on ‘History of Science Museums and Planetariums in India’ during 2013-2016 as a Project Investigator of the research project sponsored by the INSA.
