Professor Dr Sumitra Mangesh Katre (1906 – 98) was born at Honnavar, Karnataka in India and passed away at the age of 92 in San Jose, California. Prof. S. M. Katre did his B.A. from Madras University. He got his Ph.D in Linguistics in 1931 from the School of Oriental and African Studies (London) on early Buddhist ballads and their relation to the older Upanishads. After his return from London, he taught at Nowrosjee Wadia College and also S.P. College, Pune, and then in 1939 he joined the newly founded Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute as Professor of Indo-European Philosophy. He served as its Director from 1942-71. Under Katre’s dynamic and inspiring leadership, the Deccan College became a world renowned research institute. He served in various academic and administrative capacities, such as – President, Linguistic Society of India (1946); Treasurer (virtually Managing Editor) of Indian Linguistics (1954-69), Journal of the Linguistic Society of India, Director, C