Dr. Amit Roy: Leader, Mentor, Friend
Dr. Amit Roy steered IFDC from a fertilizer research organization to a holistic agricultural development center. He led many of the first
development campaigns in post-Soviet Europe. He encouraged greater involvement in sub-Saharan Africa, spearheading the 2006 Africa
Fertilizer Summit. Realizing that the future of global food security depended on improved fertilizers, he created the Virtual Fertilizer
Research Center in 2010. With smallholders at the heart of IFDC’s efforts, Roy has accomplished much to ensure the growth of this
organization. But colleagues remember his character as much as his achievements. To them, he has been more than a leader, he has been
a mentor and a friend.
“Time flies. I still remember Amit going around introducing himself to
the few staff of IFDC [in the late 1970s]. We developed a relationship
that went beyond that of colleagues, which was cemented when I
was a surprise witness
at his wedding.
Those were exciting
times, personally and
professionally. Amit was
working on beneficiating
phosphate rock, and I
was hiding urea lumps
deep into paddy soils.
Both of us were trying
to save the farmers in
the developing world
some money by making
fertilizers more efficient.
When not at work, our
families partied and grew
up together. From afar,
I have seen Dr. Roy take
charge of IFDC and grow
it into a vibrant, though
different, organization
with enormous impact
on the ground. The
development community
and IFDC owe him a debt
of gratitude.”
– Paul Vlek
“I first met Amit when I was a UNDP Mission member in
1986. Thereafter, I came in closer touch as an IFDC board
member from 1988 to 1999 and a member of the Executive
Committee from 1992 to 1999. He impressed me with his
innovative ideas and dedication, and when the CEO position
was being considered in 1992, I believed he would do the
job well. He has amply justified this by global expansion of
activities, and he richly deserved the honor of Distinguished
Alumnus Award of IIT Kharagpur in 2011.”
– Pratap Narayan
“I first met Dr. Roy in December 2005, when I had just arrived from Niger to join IFDC’s Africa Fertilizer Summit Secretariat. The day
following our meeting, I found a box with a brand new remote controlled heater in front of my office – he had noticed how bundled up
I was in the office. That characterizes my experience working with Dr. Roy: an attentive, dedicated, humble, human, kind and generous
President and CEO. He is an individual with much dedication who works tirelessly and connects so well with the very people we