IIT’s Award

Peter Chan -  IIT KHARAGPUR Distinguished Alumnus Award 2015

Peter Chan was born and brought up in Calcutta (1940 - 1963) .They were three generations in Calcutta - Grandfather and his two brothers started a carpentry factory in Calcutta in the early 1900s , with office in Chandni Chowk and factory in Chingrihatta Rd, Tangra. Thay made furniture and wooden railway carriages till about the early 60s .

Attended Calcutta Boys School and St Xaviers College and then went on to IIT Kharagpur to study Electrical Engg. 1958-62 .

Was the West Bengal Cycling champion 1960-63 and was one of five or six Chinese who studied at IIT.

This year Peter Chan was awarded the IIT’s Distinguished Alumnus Award for 2015 and have been asked to attend the Convocation in Kharagpur to receive

this award.

Peter shall be arriving Kolkata on 7th August - stay in Kharagpur 8th & 9th August and have the morning and afternoon of 10th Aug in Kolkata

Peter Chan is a self-taught Bonsai artist.  He moved to the UK in 1963 and started experimenting with bonsai in 1967 when ceramics was his main hobby. Trained originally as a professional Electrical Engineer, he worked in the UK Electricity industry and also as Energy Policy adviser in the UK Department of Energy for just over twenty years. He gave up his 9-5 job in1986 to turn his hobby of bonsai into a business venture. Today, his nursery ‘Herons Bonsai’ is the UK’s premier bonsai nursery.

Peter is known throughout the world by the many books he has written. His first book –‘Bonsai, the Art of Growing and Keeping Miniature Trees’ was published in 1985 and is still in print. His other books include ‘Bonsai Masterclass’, ‘Choosing and Growing Bonsai’ and the Readers Digest book –‘Bonsai Masterclass’. Many of his books have been translated into seven or more languages. Innumerable bonsai enthusiasts world-wide have been introduced to the art of bonsai through one or more of his books. He has also written a Japanese Garden book as he is also a Japanese garden designer and maker.

On his eight acre nursery, he grows most of the bonsai that the company sells. Maples and other deciduous trees are among his favourite species.

Herons Bonsai