Biography of Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar, The Father of Research Laboratories in India

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Biography of Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar, The Father of Research Laboratories in India

Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar


Sir Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar was one of the greatest scientists in India. He was a chemist, academic and scientific administrator. He is considered the "Father of Research Laboratories" in India. He played an important role along with Homi J Bhabha, Vikram Sarabhai, Prasanta Chandra Mahalnobis and others in the building of India's post-independence science and technology infrastructure and policies.

Family and Education

Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar was born on 21 February 1894 in Bhera, Punjab Presidency, British India (now in Pakistan). His father was Parameshwari Sahai Bhatnagar. Unfortunately, he lost his father when he was only eight months old. He grew up in his uncle's house who was an engineer. He had to face a lot of social obstacles during his childhood.

Shanti completed his primary education at the Dayanand Anglo-Vedic High School in Sikandrabad. After schooling, he got admitted to the Dayal Singh College in 1911. He passed the Intermediate Examination of the Punjab University in 1913 in first class. Then he joined the Forman Christian College, where he obtained BSc in Physics and MSc in Chemistry respectively in 1916 and 1919.

He was awarded a prestigious scholarship by the Dayal Singh College Trust to study abroad. So, he left for America. But there were some complications because of the first world war. Then he changed his decision and joined the University College London. He earned his Doctorate in Science Degree in 1921 under chemistry professor Frederick G. Donnan. 

Research Works

Shanti grew up in such an atmosphere where he got free access to all parts of science. This helped him to grow a liking for science and engineering. He enjoyed building mechanical toys, electronic batteries and string telephones. He carried this interest throughout his life and made an important impact in science and technology. 

His research interests included emulsions, colloids and industrial chemistry. But neither of these fields were being served too much by him. His fundamental contribution was in the field of magneto-chemistry. He studied a lot about the magnetic field and the use of magnetism for the study of Chemical reactions. 

In 1928, he and K.N. Mathur jointly developed the Bhatnagar-Mathur Magnetic Interference Balance, which was one of the most sensitive instruments at the time for measuring magnetic properties.

His major innovation was an improvement of the procedure for drilling crude oil. He solved a problem of the Attock Oil Company using simple colloidal Chemistry. He solved the problem in such a way that the company owners were so pleased and offered him Rs. 1500000 for research work on any subject related to petroleum. The company placed the fund through the university and it was used to establish the Department of Petroleum Research under the guidance of Shanti. Deodorization of waxes, increasing flame height of kerosene and utilisation of waste products etc projects were run by that fund.

While working as the Director of the BSIR, Shanti persuaded the government to increase the budget of the BSIR to set up an Industrial Research Utilisation Committee (IRUC) in early 1941 for further investment into industrial research. The Government of India increased the budget to Rs.1 million per year after a great parliamentary debate. These finally led to the constitution of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Shanti proposed to establish the National Chemical Laboratory, the National Physics Laboratory, the Fuel Research Station and the Glass and Ceramic Research Institute. The beginning of scientific laboratories in India has grown adults holding his hand.

He wrote jointly with K.N. Mathur Physical Principles and Applications of Magneto chemistry. 

He established a total of twelve national laboratories such as Central Food Processing Technological Institute, Mysore, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur, Central Fuel Institute, Dhanbad etc. 

Shanti closely followed the work of C.V. Raman and Kariamanickam Srinivasa Krishnan at IACS on the Raman Effect as well.

Career

After completing his studies abroad, Shanti returned to India and started serving the nation as a teacher. He served as a professor of chemistry in different universities. Apart from teaching he was devoted to research works throughout his life. He served as
  • The professor of Chemistry at the Banaras Hindu University.
  • The professor of Physical Chemistry of the University of Punjab.
  • The director of University Chemical Laboratories of the University of Punjab.
  • Director of the Board of Scientific and Industrial Research (BSIR). 
  • The chairman of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR).
  • Chairman of the University Grant Commission.
  • Secretary of the ministry of education and educational advisor for the Government of India.
Shanti also played an important role in the establishment of the National Research Development Corporation. He initiated many other institutions and laboratories to set up and he himself donated funds relentlessly throughout his life. 

Awards and Recognition

Shanti was praised as a scientist all over the world. He was more a teacher than a scientist. He always prefered to spread his knowledge among the young brains. He contributed a lot to the field of professional research laboratories in India. 

  • Foundation Fellow of the National Institute of Sciences in India.
  • Fellow of Indian Academy of Sciences.
  • President of the Indian Chemical Society.
  • President of the National Institute of Sciences of India.
  • President of the Indian National Congress.
  • An officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1936 New Years Honours list.
  • Honorary Member of the Society of Chemical Industry, London.
  • Vice President of the Society of Chemical Industry, London.
  • Fellow of the Institute of Physics.
  • Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chemistry.

The British Government knighted him in the year 1941 for his tremendous contribution to science and advanced research. The Government of India awarded him Padma Bhushan in 1954.

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology, an award for science was created in his honour.

Death

Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar died of a heart attack on 1 January 1955. Then he was 60 years old.

Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar was more than a successful scientist. Our modern industrial research and productivity largely follow his methods of research using the laboratories established by him. He made a revolutionary change in this field in India. 


sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanti_Swaroop_Bhatnagar

https://www.beaninspirer.com/sir-shanti-swaroop-bhatnagar-the-great-indian-scientist-who-is-known-as-the-father-of-science-and-technology-in-india/

https://bioaboutus.com/shanti-swaroop-bhatnagar-biography-awards/

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