ACHARYA PRAFULLA CHANDRA ROY: DOYEN OF INDIAN SCIENCE & RESEARCH

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Date: Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 3:53 PM
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ACHARYA PRAFULLA CHANDRA ROY: DOYEN OF INDIAN SCIENCE & RESEARCH

Prajes Bandyopadhyay**

 

This year our country is celebrating the 150^th birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. In the shadow of this celebration the sesquicentennial birth anniversary of another eminent personality is also being celebrated though, in a subdued tone. He commanded respect and admiration in the academic field of science and research. The year of birth of Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy, the famous 'Bengali Chemist' coincides with that of Rabindranath Tagore.

 

The eminent scientist, dedicated teacher and one of the first entrepreneurs of resurgent India under British rule was born in Khulna district of undivided Bengal in an affluent family of landlords on 2^nd August, 1861. Despite their rural background his parents had interest in education, music and literature. In line with the trend of that time Prafulla Chandra was admitted in a reputed Calcutta school after his early education in the native village. But in the college founded by famous educationist and social reformer Pandit Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, he developed the knack for science from where he completed his graduation with Physics and Chemistry. Apart from his academic pursuit he was a voracious reader of variety of books on different subjects and languages. After passing out of college with excellent results he went to Cambridge University in England on a scholarship in 1882. He got his B.Sc degree and Doctorate from there.

 

He returned to Calcutta after his D.Sc in 1888, but had to wait for a suitable teaching assignment due to the discriminatory practice of British Raj. Ultimately with the intervention of his friend and famous scientist Acharya J. C. Bose he had been appointed as Assistant Professor in the Chemistry Department of Presidency College in 1889. With this assignment in the elite centre of excellence Prafulla Chandra embarked on lifelong mission of scientific education and research. It was at Presidency College that he gained reputation as a dedicated teacher. With his thought-provoking lectures and demonstration in the laboratory he ignited the minds of students. He used to encourage them to delve into the depths of science through research. His illustrious students include Meghnad Saha, Satyen Bose and others. It was through his personal initiative the laboratory of Presidency College was upgraded to international standards.

 

In the laboratory of Presidency College Prafulla Chandra experimented on various chemical compounds of gold, Iridium, Platinum, etc. He invented a number of compounds and discovered important properties of different salts and acids. In 1912 he was appointed to the Chair of Palit Professorship in the Chemistry Department of Calcutta University College of Science. In his endeavour to lay the foundation of science education and research in our country he tried to find out from ancient scriptures and literature on Ayurveda the rich traditions of Indian Chemistry. With his research spanning well over a decade he wrote the 'History of Hindu Chemistry' in two volumes which were published in 1902 and 1908 respectively. This book firmly established the superior status of Indian science in the International field. He also wrote more than hundred research papers in highly acclaimed International Science Journals. He recorded his experience as a scientist in his biography named 'Life and experience of a Bengali Chemist'. Apart from his own subject he wrote scores of articles and essays in newspapers and journals on education, society, morality and other subjects.

 

During his stint in Presidency College he started a commercial venture of manufacturing medicines and chemical compounds from indigenous materials. In 1892 with his own money he founded 'The Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceuticals Works Ltd'. The primary aim of this venture was making our country self-reliant in the manufacturing of medicines and other materials. At that time almost all the medicines and many simple chemical materials like Ferro Alum, Magsulph, Napthalene, Creosote, etc., were exported from European countries. With the help of some of his best students and dedicated employees Bengal Chemical started commercially producing all those medicines and chemicals. Toiletries like soaps, talcum powder, toothpaste, surgical cotton, phenyl, naphthalene and many other materials of household use produced by Bengal Chemical became popular.

 

At a time when manufacturing a simple fire extinguishing machine or boring a tube well were considered a technological feat, Bengal Chemical started producing and exporting extinguishers with the trade name 'Fire King' and even started manufacturing tube well machine parts. Prafulla Chandra with his zeal and dedication proved the capabilities of Indian entrepreneurs.

 

He knew about the discrimination faced by the Indian under British rule. From his student days in England he developed a strong nationalist sentiment and social responsibility. It became evident when he created ripples by writing an essay named 'India – before and after the Mutiny'. Being a scientist and reputed teacher of a Government Institution he may not have participated in the freedom movement of our country, but he had strong sympathy for those persons who were spearheading the movement for the independence of India. He used to maintain relations with the leaders of Indian National Congress. On several occasions in his correspondence he made it clear that his service to the nation was through science and research. Despite his frail health he worked untiringly even a few years before his death on 16^th June, 1944. He left the legacy of a selfless life totally devoted to science and education.

 

In the later years when Prafulla Chandra was famous as an inspiring teacher and eminent scientist he dedicated himself to the service of the nation through his work in academic field. He led a simple and austere life even in the height of his fame as a scientist. He commanded respect from all sections of the society for his contribution in the development of Indian entrepreneurship. He had a cult following among the student community for his magical capacity of teaching which earned him the epithet 'Acharya'. Rabindranath Tagore, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Gandhiji, Pandit Nehru were his admirers. Rabindranath paid glowing tributes to him in the felicitation meeting on the occasion of his 70^th birthday. Even Gandhiji was astonished to know about his austere and simple way of life.

 

In his sesquicentennial birth anniversary the nation remembers this great son with gratitude and reverence. Commemorative programmes are being organized to celebrate the occasion throughout the year. This is a proposal to institute a chair of Professorship in his name in the Calcutta University. A campus of the University of Technology in Calcutta is proposed to be named as Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy campus.

**A freelance writer

dd/dk/kol/15:18 hrs.

 

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Palash Biswas
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