Toto driver’s son from Malda earns PhD from IIT Kharagpur, to pursue post-doctorate in Israel’s top university

Shiv Shankar Saha, a resident of Tulsidanga in Malda’s Gazole block, has completed his PhD in Mathematics with a specialization in Graph Theory from IIT Kharagpur. He is now set to travel to Israel for a three-year post-doctoral research programme. Shiv Shankar’s academic path began in West Bengal and has progressed steadily through premier institutions.

His father, Kalipad Saha, previously worked as a hawker in local markets and currently drives a Toto to support the family. His mother’s name is Ruma Saha. Despite limited financial means, the family supported Shiv Shankar’s educational journey. Shiv Shankar passed his secondary examination from Gazole High School and later moved to Kolkata for further studies.

He completed his higher secondary education and undergraduate studies in science from Jadavpur High School. He then enrolled at Ballygunge Science College, where he completed his MSc in Mathematics. Following this, he gained admission to IIT Kharagpur, where he pursued and completed his PhD in Mathematical Graph Theory.

Shiv Shankar has now received the opportunity to undertake post-doctoral research in Israel. According to him, the research programme will span three years. He stated that the support of his family, particularly his father, was crucial in helping him reach this academic milestone.