Fisheries Scientist B. Madhusoodana Kurup Dies at 71

Fisheries scientist B. Madhusoodana Kurup died in Kochi, Kerala, on 18 October 2026, aged 71, following a cardiac arrest. He was the founding Vice-Chancellor of the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), India’s first university dedicated to fisheries and ocean studies.

Fisheries and Ocean Studies

KUFOS is a university focused on fisheries and ocean studies. Kurup served as its founding Vice-Chancellor. His work included fisheries education, scientific research and aquaculture, the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish and shellfish.

University and Academic Career

Kurup served as the third Vice-Chancellor of Shri Venkateshwara University in Gajraula, Uttar Pradesh. He also worked for more than 18 years as Director and Professor at the School of Industrial Fisheries, Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT). He completed postdoctoral studies at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. His fellowships included the Nuffic fellowship and the Marie Curie fellowship.

Aquaculture Research and Scientific Institutions

Kurup discovered eight freshwater fish species from the Western Ghats, guided 22 doctoral scholars and published more than 250 research papers and 11 edited books. He served as scientific adviser to Kerala’s Fisheries Minister and chaired the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture (RGCA). He also chaired the Research Advisory Committee of the ICAR–Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA). The cremation was scheduled for 4 pm on 18 October 2026 at his residence in Nettoor, Kochi.

Important Facts for Exams

• KUFOS is India’s first university dedicated to fisheries and ocean studies.
• The Western Ghats are a biodiversity-rich mountain range along India’s western coast.
• RGCA is the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture.
• CIBA is the ICAR–Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture.

Kurup is survived by his wife, Dr Jayasree Madhu, son Rakesh M Kurup and daughter Dr Reshma Rajeev. His academic work included freshwater fish research, doctoral supervision and aquaculture studies.