Sudipta Sengupta obtained her PhD in geology from Jadavpur University. Between 1973 and 1979, she carried out post-doctoral research work at Imperial College, London, and at the Institute of Geology, Uppsala University. Upon her return to India, she joined the Geological Survey of India. In 1982, she joined Jadavpur University as a lecturer and retired in 2011 as professor. She continued her research there as INSA Senior Scientist till 2016. She was one of the two women to participate in the Indian Antarctic Expedition in 1983–84.
During her career, Sudipta has published numerous important research papers in reputed journals and a bestselling book on Antarctica in Bengali. She is a recipient of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology, the National Mineral Award, the Antarctic Award, the Geological Society of India Women Scientist Award and the D.N. Wadia Medal, among others. She is a Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy and West Bengal Academy of Science and Technology.
A trained mountaineer, Sudipta is the lone surviving summiteer of an expedition to a Himalayan peak that has been successfully climbed only once. She is a member of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation.
