Debasis Chaudhuri is seen with Rune Christopher, Director, ACA Denmark while explaining the use of Computers by the less advantaged students of AVM school run by ARM, Baliapal with funding from SAXO Bank, Denmark  through ACA Denmark

DEBASIS CHAUDHURI is a social entrepreneur, a "thinker", a freelance journalist, and a change-maker who has been in the fields of development, health (especially maternal and child health), women’s empowerment, and agriculture since 1987. Gradually, he developed many ideas, themes, and projects while facing different internal and external barriers and disasters.

He joined as a Field Officer at the Soil Testing Laboratory, a World Bank-aided project through the ICAR, Government of India, at the NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM and its KRISHI VIGYAN KENDRA (an ICAR-aided project under the aegis of a Voluntary Organization, now an NGO) in 1985.

Debasis Chaudhuri first came into the "limelight" when he was found by the most respected late Swami Buddhanandaji Maharaj in 1985. His first English write-up, "Meet at Belur," was published in the then English daily Amrita Bazar Patrika on Wednesday 8, January, 1986, the occasion of International Youth Convention, as declared by UNO and celebrated at Belur Ramkrishna Math and Mission and attended by youth from different parts of the country and abroad. The most respected late Swami Hiranmayanandaji Maharaj, the then General Secretary of Ramkrishna Math and Mission, highly appreciated the write-up as conveyed to the most respected late Swami Buddhanandaji Maharaj, Founder of NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM, through an ambassador or another messenger (not known or remembered).

It was the beginning of a new opportunity for a blooming bud to become a full-blown flower. At that time, Debasis Chaudhuri worked as a Field Officer at the Soil Testing Laboratory of NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM and its KRISHI VIGYAN KENDRA. With the blessings of the late Swami Buddhanandaji Maharaj, the Founder of NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM and its KRISHI VIGYAN KENDRA, and with the blessings of kind and most pleasing personality Respected Swami Swadanandaji Maharaj, Secretary of NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM since 1985, Debasis was elevated to the post of Director of Jana Kalyan Kendra, a separate Rural Development wing, as per his persuasion to work for the unrepresented with liberty and a organized team. This happened in 1987/88/89. He was also kindly and graciously allowed to use the name "Editor" for the Annual Report, Souvenir, and project evaluation report of NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM in 1987. His edited souvenir was for the occasion of either the Silver Jubilee of the NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM on the august presence of the late R. Venkataraman, the then Hon’ble Vice President of India. Debasis's famous line in the NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM’s annual report was "To an empty stomach, Food is God" in 1988/89/90.

His planning on agriculture was first recognized in 1988/89/90 when the most respected Swami Swadanandaji Maharaj, the then Secretary of NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM, was invited by the then Planning Commission of India to give some suggestions on the Training and Visit (T&V) system of the then Agricultural Extension Network, which was solely dependent on disseminating a scientific system of farming (using power-tillers, sprayers, dusters, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides without masks...alas, the farmers were taught to "axe sitting on the same tree," like Kalidas). Debasis was given a rare opportunity to spend three sleepless nights, despite having no academic qualification in agriculture, to write suggestions on the agricultural extension network. His sleepless nights proved impactful, as seven of his suggestions in the name of the most respected Swami Swadanandaji Maharaj were accepted by the then Planning Commission of India and were highly appreciated by the Vice Chancellors of Agricultural Universities in the Planning Commission meeting attended by the most respected Swami Swadanandaji Maharaj. As human memory is very short-term, if today the most respected Swami Swadanandaji Maharaj, 82 years old and Secretary of NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM since 1985, denies the fact, Debasis is helpless, as no evidence exist.

In the late 1980s, Mr. Klaus, and later Mr. Klaus and Mr. Rahe, came to evaluate different projects funded by the then German Agro Action and implemented by NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM in the far-flung Sundarbans area. Debasis, being very young, had to face the storm. Debasis learned the words "Need-based Development"—not charity or super-imposed planning—from the German agricultural and fishery experts, who had a genuine feeling to actualize "Let the grassroot speak." It was a "New Horizon" for Debasis, and so in the "fag end" of his life, he named his social entrepreneurship—also an effort to earn money—"New Horizon."

Debasis left the NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM in 1990/91 as he was selected as Management Trainee in Transport by SBSTC, a Government of West Bengal Undertaking, responding to this application to an advertisement. Debasis was very confused as he used to get salary in NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM at that time was Rs. 2,200 – Rs. 4,000 range and additionally free quarters, electricity and other perks. Still Debasis joined SBSTC as a Management Trainee for 2 years from 1990 - 92 and then as Traffic Superintendent from 1993 till 2005 while he resigned without getting any facility for survival only for a refute with a Senior Officer in a trifling issue.

However, the period from 1991 to 2005 was not a break in his journey. Debasis also worked as a freelance consultant to earn extra money for the family and saving for his "better-half." He owes a deep debt of gratitude to the most respected Late Mr. Sailandanath Basu, the then evaluator for CAPART (under the aegis of the Ministry of Rural Development), who came to evaluate a CAPART-aided project on rainwater harvesting that Debasis designed as Project Director, NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM. Late Sailandanath Basu (a retired officer of the CAG) was very moved by Debasis's sincerity and offered him a consultancy despite working for a government undertaking.

Debasis is also grateful for having the opportunity to have access to a computer, which was provided by the sister of renowned journalist Arun Shourie, who was also a high-level official and evaluator of a SDC (Swiss Development Corporation) project. She became very famous for exposing the erstwhile Congress Government for using the "Dacoits of Chambal" in rigging elections and started an independent channel in electronic media. She came to NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM to evaluate a project on land shaping and water storage (rainwater harvesting) and an artificial insemination center.

The respected Nalini Singh recognized Debasis's sincere effort and his HR support to Mrs. Singh in her tour in the river-locked Sundarban area and also helping her meet the beneficiaries of the project and later Debasis’s full human resource support for the evaluation and for publishing a book overnight. The "noble lady" advised Debasis to apply to CAPART, as SDC gave some money to CAPART for voluntary organizations (now NGOs / Civil Societies) to have access to a computer. Accordingly, the most respected Swami Swadanandaji Maharaj agreed and rather pampered Debasis into writing the proposal for a computer, which ultimately "clicked", a new computer (PC-AT) was purchased from HCL in 1989.

Space Created

Debasis’s father passed away on 2nd June, 1986. His vacuum created a space for Debasis in NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM. Debasis learnt fundamentals of English from his father.

Greatest Discovery

The most respected late Swami Buddhanandaji Maharaj, the Founder of NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM and a "pioneer of new awakening," as written by Debasis in the souvenir of NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM in 1987, discovered Debasis in 1986 onward. The late Swamiji told Debasis, "You will give jobs to others, you will not do any job," when Debasis had an opportunity to work as an SI in the then Calcutta Police. Debasis agreed and bowed down to Swamiji in respect.

First Honour

Debasis was given a rare opportunity to have dinner with the respected Late Mrs. Sheila Dikshit, the then Chief Minister of Delhi.

Seminars & Awards

In 1989 from West Bengal, Debasis Chaudhuri along with respected Swami Swadanandaji Maharaj, Secretary of NIMPITH RAMKRISHNA ASHRAM and respected Late Shivaprasad Chakraborty, the then Director, Lokshiksha Parishad, Narendrapur Ramkrishna Mission, attended a prestigious “Professor Kraut (A Renowned Environmentalist in Germany)” Seminar at White Field in Bangalore. The seminar was sponsored by German Agro Action, Germany and organized by a famous NGO, MYRADA in Tamil Nadu.

*Debasis was invited by US Consulate, Kolkata on behalf of an NGO in Murshidabad to discuss about the problem of trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual exploitation in the year 2007/08.

*Debasis was invited US Consulate, at American Center, Kolkata in a Workshop of Creative Writing in July, 2010.

*Debasis was awarded the SUSWM World Peace Award by the most renowned and veteran Buddhist Monk Buddhapriyaji of SUSWM, Founder of SUSWM in recognition of Debasis’s outstanding achievement in Social Work. Chancellor of Dhaka University, Ex President of Bhutan, Secretary of the then Prime Minister of Bangladesh were other recipients of Award.