Samir Kumar Bose was born on 5 May 1937 in Patna, Bihar. After his initial education in local schools, he joined Scindia School at Gwalior and completed his schooling in 1954. In 1955 he was selected for the National Defence Academy and in 1959 was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers of the Army. He graduated in Civil Engineering from the College of Military Engineering in Pune and was posted to the East. He did engineering projects in the foothills of what was then known as NEFA and the plains of Assam. When war with Pakistan began in 1965, he was moved from Tinsukia (Assam) to Akhnur (West of Jammu) on promotion to Major. Shortly thereafter he was wounded. After a surgical operation and treatment in various military hospitals, he was found fit for active service and posted to a unit in Pune. A couple of months later, a lady physiotherapist joined this unit from KEM Hospital in Mumbai. She was to be his wife. His final posting was as Chief Engineer at Director General Naval Projects, Mumbai.