Father Richard Timm: A timeline of achievements

1923 - March 2, Born in Michigan City, Indiana, United States

1940 - Graduation from St Mary's HS. Michigan City

1945 - BA (Philosophy) from University of Notre Dame Magna Cum Laude

1949 - Ordained at Sacred Heart Church, Notre Dame Indiana

1949 - June 8, Holy Cross assigns Timm to establish a department of science at St Gregory's School in Dhaka’s Laxmibazar

1951 - MS in Biology at the Catholic University of America

1952 - PhD from CU, specializing in parasitology. Arrives in Dhaka in late October

1952-68 - Professor of biology, principal and founder and head of the science dept, Notre Dame College, Dhaka

1953-54 - Fulbright Lecturer in parasitology at Govt Medical College, Dhaka, with extension at Govt Experimental Farm, Tejgaon

1954-70 - Researches on jute and rice nematode parasites at the Agricultural Research Institute, Tejgaon, under a grant from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Pakistan

1958-63 - Project on plant-parasitic nematodes (roundworms) under Food and Agriculture Council, Pakistan

1958-64 - Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) Research Fellow in Thailand and Philippines; SEATO publishes his book on the plant-parasitic nematodes of Thailand and the Philippines

1963 - Awarded a SEATO Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for extensive study in Thailand and the Philippines on parasitic nematodes affecting commercial plants

1964 - Founded handicraft organization "Jagoroni" for physically challenged women

1965 - SEATO publishes his book “The Plant-Parasitic Nematodes of Thailand and The Philippines”

1968 - Father Timm leaves East Pakistan to spend two years in the US before returning shortly before the Liberation War in Bangladesh

1968-70 - Visiting Professor of Nematology at University of California, including two and half months of research in Antarctica

1970-73 - Focuses on relief and rehabilitation; both for the cyclone and the destruction caused by the Liberation War

1970-73 - Founded the science departments at Notre Dame College and pioneered club activities

1970-71 - Learns to speak fluent Bangla

1971-72 - Director of Cyclone Rehabilitation Project on Monpura island for six months

1972-74 - Planning Officer at Caritas, Bangladesh

1973 - Executive Director of CORR-The Jute Works

1974-76 - National Director of Caritas

1974 - Leads the creation of the Association of Voluntary Agencies in Bangladesh (AVAB) and was elected first chairman of its executive committee. Later AVAB became ADAB (Association of Development Agencies in Bangladesh)

1974-94 - Executive Secretary of Commission for Justice and Peace

1978 - Timm serves ADAB as director for nine months.

1987-93 - Founder of the Coordinating Council for Human Rights in Bangladesh and president for three terms

1987 - Receives Magsaysay Award for International Understanding from Manila for 35 years of dedication to the development of Bangladesh. In the same year, he receives ‘Abu Sayeed Chowdhury Award’ for Human Rights in Social Service

1990-93 - Founder and convenor of South Asian Forum for Human Rights

2000-2011 - Works in various sectors in Bangladesh, especially with the  poor, indigenous communities, physically challenged women; has been working on development and human rights

2008 - Timm becomes Caritas Bangladesh Advisor

2009- Honoured by Vatican's Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace as a teacher, author, eminent scientist, and advocate for human rights

2012 – Awarded the “Friends of Liberation War Honour"  

Late 2015 or 2016 - He left Bangladesh

2020- September 11, (aged 97) dies at South Bend, Indiana, United States