With profound sorrow we mourn the passing of Rabin Chatterjee, lovingly known to the community and friends as “Rabin-da”. Rabin left this world on the evening of December 30, 2025, at his home in Toronto, at the age of 86.
A brilliant student from an early age, Rabin Chatterjee graduated in Electrical Engineering from Jadavpur University (JU), Kolkata, India. Following his graduation he joined the Electrical Engineering department at JU as a teacher for a brief period before pursuing higher studies at Queen’s University in Canada. Rabin arrived in Canada in 1966 and soon became known for his vibrant spirit, warm smile, and wonderful sense of humour.
Rabin Chatterjee had a distinguished academic and professional career as a professor at Centennial College, where he also served as Chairman of the Electronics Department during the 1990s. Deeply respected by colleagues and students alike, he was known for his dedication to teaching, mentorship, and academic excellence. His valuable contributions and insights were acknowledged in the first edition of the book Principles of Electric Machines and Power Electronics, written by P C Sen, Emeritus Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Queen’s University.
Academics remained his lifelong passion, and he dedicated his entire professional life to teaching and intellectual pursuits. Beyond his scholarly achievements, he was an avid reader, classical music lover and a thoughtful student of Indian philosophy.
After the passing of his beloved wife, Lee, in 2018, Rabin became increasingly lonely. His devotion and care for his ailing wife were exemplary and reflected the depth of his compassion and character. Though he lived away from his motherland in India for many decades, he remained deeply connected to his roots, maintaining close ties with his siblings and nephews and nieces and visited India several times with his wife.
Rabin treasured friendship and community, often bringing people together over coffee and conversation. A driving force behind the 1961 JU group in North America and a founding member of Jadavpur University Alumni Association Toronto (JUAn) he worked tirelessly to reconnect classmates and strengthen lifelong bonds. During the pandemic, he thoughtfully created the 1961 JU Zoom group, ensuring that friendship and fellowship continued despite the distance.
A generous philanthropist, Rabin gave wholeheartedly to the welfare of seniors and children, and to the advancement of education. His kindness, leadership, and unwavering commitment to community touched countless lives. He will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever cherished by family, friends, classmates, students, and all who had the privilege of knowing him.