Ray T. Smith Joins the Ranks of Leading Professionals

    SAN DIEGO, CA, September 2, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Ray T. Smith, Professor Emeritus of San Diego State University, has been recognized by Cambridge Who's Who for demonstrating dedication, leadership and excellence in History, Asian Studies, and development of a literary career.

From age 14 he was a reader of stories and classic novels, and began writing his own poetry and short stories. His father meanwhile challenged him to red history. By the time he finished high school he saw a teaching career in history as the life he wanted. He completed a B.A. with Honors at Southern Methodist University in 1954 and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. After a two-year tour of duty overseas in the U.S. Air Force, he applied to the University of California, Berkeley, where he began studying Asian civilizations, focusing equally on India, China and Japan. More and more firmly devoted to India, he applied for research in India on a doctoral degree. He spent the years 1962 to 1964 as a Fellow of the American Institute of Indian Studies, New Delhi, and was awarded his Doctorate by the University of California, Berkeley in 1964. Returning to California, he took up teaching at San Diego State University.

During his early years at San Diego State, Dr. Smith discovered that he preferred the challenges of the classroom to a career mainly in research. "I found," he says, "that I liked to inspire my students to develop wider horizons, to think constructively, search farther, and look for surprises." Dr. Smith followed his own advice by creating courses that opened up a wide range of cultures. After developing a year-length course on early and modern India he created an Asian Studies survey embracing India, China and Japan. He introduced a year-length course on Southeast Asia. In the 1970's he created a course on the Vietnam War, taught "History Through Film," and collaborated in founding an Asian Studies Major. He was appointed the university's Asian Studies graduate advisor.

In the 1980's, becoming interested in Islam and the origins of Pakistan, he began special research on the "Mughal" era and the Muslim rule of Akbar from 1560 to 1605. He took up especially the rise of European colonies in India, starting with Portuguese "Goa" in 1520 and Portugal's sponsorship of Europe's "Jesuits" in India. Retiring in 1996—"I needed more time for research on Islamic culture," he explains—he set out on a literary career. The result is an historical novel, The Persian Jesuit: A Romance of India in the Age of Akbar, due to appear in the Fall of 2009. "I discovered," he says, "that my love of history and literature had come full circle." Knowing that younger historians and writers face new challenges, he gladly wishes to others as much satisfaction in their careers.

About Cambridge Who's Who
Cambridge Who's Who is an exclusive membership organization that recognizes and empowers executives, professionals and entrepreneurs throughout the world. From healthcare to law, engineering to finance, manufacturing to education, every major industry is represented by its 400,000 active members.

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