Acharya Dr Prafulla Chandra Ray

Acharya Dr Prafulla Chandra Ray. India's gre chemist and scientist, was born on August 2, 1861. i a prosperous and cultured family in Bangladesh (previously East Bengal's) Radouli Katipara village. His father, Harishbabu was one of the founders of the western education in Bangladesh. He had established the Modal English School. Social reformers of those times like Jatindra Mohan Tagore, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and others were his close acquaintances. As a child Prafullababu, though of delicate built, was an intelligent boy. After primary schooling in his village, he joined Kolkata's (Calcutta's) Heyer School in 1870. Though he excelled in studies, poor health forced him to discontinue studies in 1874. But he continued reading, which was his passion for life. As health improved, he was admitted to Kolkata's Albert School. In 1879, he cleared the entrance examination and joined college at Kolkata University.

For higher studies he joined Metropolitan Institute founded by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. Later, he joined the Government Presidency College in Kolkata. He was fond of literature. Apart from English, he also acquired mastery over Latin, French and Sanskrit. The life sketches of great personalities interested him. He once came across the biography of Benjamin Franklin (American scientist, known for his experiments in static electricity), which influenced him profoundly. He then developed am interest in science. Meanwhile, he appeared for the competitve examination for the Gilchrist Scholarship held in India and was selected for the Scholarship award. With øreat dificulty he convinced his mother to grant him permission to go abroad. His father had already expressed happiness over this decision.

In 1882, Ray left for England to study science and joined the University of Edinborough. There, he came in contact with the famous chemist Alexander Brown and his interest towards chemistry deepened. He also came into contact with famous scholars -Dr's Gibson, Dobbin and others. He studied the German language and read works by German scientists. He also met the then famous Indian scientist Jagadish Chandra Bose. They became good friends. After acquiring his BSc degree from the University of Edinborough in 1885, he undertook research in the analysis of base metals and acquired his DSc degree in 1887. He also won a few prizes and scholarships at the University of Edinborough. In 1888, he was selected as the vice-president of the university's Chemical Society.

After these shining achievements, he returned to Kolkata in 1888 and joined the Presidency College as Assistant Professor drawing a salary of Rs 250 per month At college, besides teaching, he took up research in various nitrites. He lived a simple life, gave up western clothing and wore the traditional Indian dress (kurta and Pyjama) at college. Whatever he earned, he spent on science related activities and in helping the needy. At home, he set up a small laboratory. In 1895, his first major discovery, the making of mercuric nitrate was announced. This discovery drew attention of the scientists all over the world, carrying out research in chemistry.

Concerned about poverty in India, he believed that setting up of chemical and pharmaceutical industries would not only provide gainful employment, but also make our country self-reliant. Besides, such efforts could save many lives lost due to lack of medicines.

He wished to set up small and big industries the unemployed science graduates. In 1901, he helO to establish the Calcutta Pottery Works to manufactu China clay pottery. Besides, he also established the Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceutical Works Ltd. For this purpose he also set up a trust. This proved to be a boon to the country. especially to Bengal. Initially, it helped the chemistry graduates of the Presidency College and other such students to gain employment and become independent. His second major discovery was ammonium nitrate. For his successful research in nitrite he was conferred the title Master of Nitrite by Prof Armstrong.

His research in nitrite drew worldwide attention. Inspired by his impressive achieverments, in 1904, the Bengal Government sent Ray to various laboratories of Eropean countries on a study tour. During this study tour, he also delivered lectures on his research. Moreove, Ray's book Indian Chemical History published in 1902, became a much talked about book in the world. The Chancellor of Durhan University praised the book. Ray wrote in detail about the work carried out by Indian chemists of the 13th and 14th century. The book gave a true picture of the Indian culture.

In 1911, the government conferred on him the Knighthood. In 1912, as representative of Kolkata University, he toured Europe to participate in the first conference of universities. The same year Durham University honoured him with the Doctor of Science degree. In 1918, he accepted an invitation from Chenna (Madras) University to deliver lectures. He donated the entire honorarium amount he received from the univerS1lY as scholarship for the benefit of students.

He was appointed president of the Indian Social Conference held in Kolkata in 1917. He became chairperson of the Indian Science Congress held in 1920.

The same year he got an opportunity to meet Gandhiji.

Deeply influenced by the Gandhian ideals and the Khadi way of life, he became an ardent supporter of the non- violent struggle. When a severe drought hit Khulna district.

Rav left all his work and rushed there to take part in relief activities. He popularized the use of charkha as a means of employment among the poor. He explained the charkha economics in a novel way.

In 1921, when he completed 60 years, he donated his entire salary to the university, for the development of science and technical college. From the interest accrued on Rs 1,30,200 every year, two students are awarded the Dr PCRay Scholarship. In 1922, he announced the Nagarjuna Award with a donation of Rs 12,000 and the 'Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee Award' with a donation of Rs 1l1,000 for the best students of microbiology and life sciences respectively. There are people who donate money as scholarship for students, but rarely will one find people who spend their money on scholarship in the name of others. They are truly great.

Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee was the Chief Justice of Kołkata (Calcutta) High Court. He was later appointed the Chancellor of Kolkata University. Taking into account Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee's tireless efforts to raise the standard of science education at the university and his contribution to science, Ray decided to announce scholarship in his honour.

In 1924, Ray, JN Mukherjee, JC Ghosh and Shanti- swaroop Bhatnagar joined hands to form the Indian Chemical Society. Ray made an initial contribution of Rs 12,000 towards the institute's expenses. He was the president of the society for two years.

or In 1932, Ray wrote his autobiography titled The Lfe Slketch and Experiences of a Bengali Chemist. In 1934, the London Chemical Society honoured him by ofering him honorary membership. He retired from the university as a Palit Professor of Chemistry in 1936. Commending his services, the university appointed him as Professor Emeritus for life. He was a sage-like professor -a sof spoken, affectionate and compassionate human being On June 14, 1944, this great Indian scientist breathed his last within the university premises. The last rites of this scholarly scientist were performed near the place where Guru Rabindranath Tagore was laid to rest. Let us pay homage to this multifaceted, heroic personality who sacrificed everything for the nation.

Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose

Jagadish Chandra Bose, the great Indian scientist who made the world aware that "plants too have feelings", was born on November 30, 1858, in Mymensingh district of Bangladesh (East Bengal in those days). His father Bhagwan Chandra Bose was the Deputy Magistrate of Faridpur district. He spent his childhood in a family steeped in Indian culture and tradition. Right since childhood, the great Indian epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata influenced him. These epics became his constant source of inspiration. He believed in the fact that hard work can turn failure into success.
He did his schooling at St Xavier's School, Kolkata (Calcutta). At school many of the students were British and Anglo-Indian as well as children of officers. Seeing this village boy they thought of harassing him. Initially, Bose tolerated their abuses and misbehaviour. But later, not able to tolerate them any longer, he fought with a well-built boy and pinned him down. After this win, many students became his friends and started treating him with respect. Now, nobody dared to harass him.
He had his college education in Kolkata. He later went to England to study medicine. Impressed by the famous physicist Lord Rayleigh in England, he changed track from the field of medicine to physics. He enrolled himself at Cambridge's Christchurch College and in l885 obtained a DSc degree from London University. With tripos in natural science. he returned to Indía.

He joined the Presidency College in Kolkata professor of physics – the first Indian to hold such a hig, post. After joining service, he came to know that he was offered less salary compared to his British counterparts.
He refused to accept the salary and protested against this injustice; though he continued to perform his duties. as Raising his voice against injustice was a kind of satyagraha. His satyagraha had an effect on the government and they conceded to his demand. finally. He was given all the outstanding salary due to him. Before Mahatma Gandhi came to India and made us realize that injustice could be fought through satyagraha, Bose had successfully experimented with this type of protest in a peaceful manner.
When a ray of light passes through a crystal, it is refracted. i. e. it bends and changes its course. In some crystals there are two refracted rays. This phenomenon is termed as double-refraction. After coming to Kolkata.
Bose started research on double-refraction. His first research paper on double-refraction was published in the Journal of Asiatic Society of Bengal. Later, he started work on electromagnetic waves. He undertook research studies on production, transmission and receptíon of electromagnetic waves. with wavelengths ranging from 1 mm to 1 cm. Generally, working on this range of wavelength in those days, was indeed considered very difficult In thís regard. he received neither instruments noOr any support irom his college. Nonetheless. he put local artisans on the job and under his guidance they constructed instruments at hís expense and in thre months he began his research. It was for the first time.
he used microwaves to understand the structure of substances and met with success. The device he designed is today known as 'waveguide'. Bose's experiments on the quasi-optical properties of very short radio waves (1895) led him to make improvements on the coherer, an early form of radio detector, which have contributed to the development of solid-state physics.

Before Guglielmo Marconi, the famous Italian inventor and electrical engineer associated with wireless telegraphy began work in this field; Bose had already begun research in this difficult area and was successful to a considerable extent. In 1895, Prof Bose had demonstrated in public that radio waves can be transmitted through a solid wall.

This public demonstration made him famous. At the Royal Institution London, in the presence of Lord Kelvin and other famous scientists, Bose demonstrated this experiment again. He later gave up experiments in this area and shifted attention to the study of botany. Many years after this public demonstration, Marconi patented the rights to his wireless experiments. Today, many foreign books eulogise Marconi as the pioneer of wireless, but its real credit should go to Bose.

1a Research was a daunting task for Indian scientists during the British rule. There was a shortage of instruments, lack of laboratories with necessary facilities.

Reference material and libraries too were unavailable.

With no encouragement forthcoming from the government, they had to set their sights on London for recognition.

Bose's intellectual prowess had impressed many English scientists. Among them, Lord Kelvin and Sir Oliver Lodge had a lot of respect for Bose. They even went to the extent of suggesting that Bose settle in London and conduct research there. But, Bose was a patriot who did not welcome this idea.

By the turn of the century, Bose was totally engrossed in the science of plant physiology. He developed a novel method to study micromovements in plants when they are stimulated. He proved that plants too have feelings or sentiments and like human beings they too tend to react in a particular way to pain and pleasure. Like man or animal, a plant cannot exXpress pain or pleasure voicing, wailing or shrieking. But it can flower. with Sway and thus express its feelings. Like other living beings, plants too breathe.

SOn May 10, 1901, the lecture hall at the Roval Society of London was packed with scientists. Bose wae to demonstrate one of his important experiments. He had devised a very sensitive instrument called the crescograph to test the sensitivity of plants. It was a unique instrument and invention. The instrument was attached to a plant.

The plant was then dipped in a container filled with bromide poison. On the screen could be seen the pulsations of the plant. Slowly. the pulsations became erratic and stopped abruptly, as if the plant was poisoned to death. There was an air of surprise all around.

(Crescograph:A super sensitive instrument for recording plant growth by magnifying a small movement as much as ten million-fold.] Many plant physiologists were not happy with tns outcomne. They were peeved and angry for Bose was a physicist who had transgressed or ventured into another area. He had also scuttled the principles of many plant physiologists. They became so disturbed and agitated that they even opposed publication of his speech by the Royal Society. But, Bose was not one to take things lying down. After two years of hard work, he published a monograph-'Response in the Living and Non-living'. With this monograph he convinced the Royal Society thhat he was indeed right. The speech that was not initially published by the Royal Society was now published and sent the world over. Bose had become a world-renowned scientist. He received many awards. In 1920, he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society. He became the first Indian scientist to be elected to that position. Taking into account his valuable contribution, the British Government conferred the title Sir' on him. Thus, he came to be known as Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose.

Bose now came to be recognized as a biologist.

Indians will always cherish his valuable contributions.

Only after the West recognized his research works did the people in his motherland come to realize the greatness of this man. On November 30, 1917, Bose dedicated Bose Research Institute to the nation.

Poet Rabindranath Tagore was Bose's friend. During this period, the West was not aware of Tagore. Bose translated many of Tagore's works and published them.

His literary talent came to the fore here. Bose was about 30 years elder to Sir CV Raman, another great Indian scientist. It is a matter of coincidence and belief that Bose set the physics paper of the Financial Civil Service' examination for which Raman appeared. A day before his death, he instructed the Superintendent of the Bose Institute to dispose of his residuary properties to endow research and social work.

On November 23, 1937, at Giridih in Bihar, this great scientist breathed his last. His books include Response in the Living and Non-Living (1902) and The Nervous Mechanism of Plants (1926). Even today, the Bose Institute set up by him runs on his ideals and is progressing in various research fields, raising his name and taking the institution to new heights.