The summary below of Dr Charan's life is a mere skeleton of the inspiration he engendered in his successors and collaborators across Thailand, Southeast Asia and Globally. It aims to provide a glimpse of what is amplified and explained in the formal biography in terms of his motivations, philosophy and impact.
Professor Dr Charan Chantalakhana was born in 1936 in Songkhla, in the south of Thailand. He grew up in humble fostered circumstances to excel at school and eventually to gain a scholarship to the young Kasetsart University in Bangkok. After two years at university he competed for, and gained, a Thai Government scholarship to continue his studies in the USA. After five years at Iowa State College, having gained merits in both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, he returned to Thailand. Assigned to live in a remote station, he commenced a cattle breeding program based on the genetics studies he had undertaken in the USA. He returned to Iowa State University and upon completion of his doctorate he was bonded to Kasetsart University to teach in the animal sciences.
Within a short time, he was assigned to start development of a rural campus of the university, and quickly moved the remaining cattle from his earlier herd to the new site. Over the next 30 years, he conducted genetic research integrated with ruminant nutrition, health and management research that launched the careers of countless graduate students. During this time, his contributions to the beef, buffalo and dairy industries of Thailand and similar countries led to him becoming known internationally. He was invited to join international committees and meetings, and eventually was appointed to the most senior roles in international agricultural research with the CGIAR and ILRI.
After officially retiring in 1996, he continued to share his knowledge and experience with others and, in particular, provided assistance to his place of origin, Songkhla, where he became Chair of the Council of a regional university, Thaksin University. Throughout his long career he had concentrated on small farmers, and it is for this that he became internationally famous. In Thailand he achieved an exceptionally elevated academic status, and outside Thailand was recognized through honorary doctorates from leading universities, notably the University of Melbourne.
Professor Charan passed away in 2023 and his funeral was accorded high honours by the Royal Palace with hundreds coming to paying respect. Various tributes resulted, some of which can be accessed through the International Livestock Research Institute’s page, Charan Chantalakhana: Leading Southeast Asian livestock researcher.
Records about Professor Charan, his life and his contributions in Thailand and globally have been collated into a biography that has been published by the Institute for International Development in hardcopy and is also freely available online.