THE LOVER OF SCIENCE

Shirshak Dutta

 

At that time, India was the colony of British Empire. The influence of European culture and the conflict between British Ruler and Indian patriots changes the Indian society. The combination of British and Indian philosophy ignited the renaissance. At that time, he was a professor of physics in Presidency College, Kolkata. Though he was a professor of physics, his interest and contribution in other science made him a polymath. His work proved that science and research has no specific field. Yes, He is Jagadish Chandra Bose, the father of modern Indian science.

 

 

He was born in a Bengali Kayastha family on 30 November 1858 in Mymenshingh, Bengal Presidency (present day Bangladesh), British India. His father, Bhagawan Chandra Bose, a deputy magistrate and assistant commissioner, wanted to make sure that he learned his native language and culture

before learning English, so he sent the young Jagadish to a local Bengali school. Even though his family was not wealthy, Bose's father was determined that he get a good education. Though his primary wish was to be a civil servant, his civil servant father was not agree with this plan. After graduating from the University of Calcutta, he moved to England to further his education. He first attended Cambridge University, and then the University of London, earning a degree in natural science in 1884.

In 1885, he returned to India and took up a job as an Assistant Professor of Physics at Presidency College, the oldest college in Calcutta. In his time there till 1915, Bose observed the racism at the workplace: the salary differential between Indian and British professors. He held a steadfast protest against this horrible system by refusing to accept the lower salary for three years, and in the fourth year, he was finally paid in full, including the backlog since his joining.

During a November 1894 (or 1895) public demonstration at Town Hall of Kolkata, Bose ignited gunpowder and rang a bell at a distance using millimeter range wavelength microwaves. Lieutenant Governor Sir William Mackenzie witnessed Bose's demonstration in the Kolkata Town Hall. He invented the Mercury Coherer (together with the telephone receiver) used by Guglielmo Marconi to receive the radio signal in his first transatlantic radio communication over a distance of 2000 miles from Poldhu, UK to  Newfoundland, St. Johns in December 1901. Guglielmo Marconi was celebrated worldwide for this achievement, but the fact that the receiver was invented by Bose was totally concealed.

Jagadish Chandra Bose

His major contribution in the field of biophysics was the demonstration of the electrical nature of the conduction of various stimuli in plants. Toward this area of research, hiss flagship contribution was the invention of the machine called the "Crescograph",a device for measuring growth in plants.

Jagadish Chandra Bose is famous as a scientist, but this was not his only identity. He was a source of inspiration to the nation. When the students of Presidency College leaded by Subhas bose started a strike against the authority, he supported them. He was one of the symbol of Indian struggle against British discrimination. In 1917, he was awarded the honorary title “Knight” from British Government.

Besides being a great scientist, he was an excellent writer. His science fictions “Niruddesher Kahini” and “Palatak Tuphan” can be considered the initiation of Bengali science fictions with Jagadananda Roy's “Shukra Bhraman”. In 1921, he wrote “Abyakta”, one of the best literary work.

As a professor, he was also reputed. The famous scientists Satyendra Nath Bose, Meghnad Saha, Prasanta Chandra Moholanobis, Sisir Kumar Mitra, Debendra Mohan Bose were his student. He was titled “Acharya” that means “great teacher”.

In 1902, he built a house, Acharya Bhaban, at 83 Circular road now A.P.C. road in Kolkata. His wife, Abala Bose was known for her efforts in women's education and her contribution towards helping widows. In 1917 in this house, he established the “Bose Institute” to increase the scope of research. Now, Bose Institute (Basu Bigyan Mandir) is a premier research institute of India and affiliated by Department of Science and Technology (India). He was its Director for the first twenty years till his demise.

Bose Institute

In 78years of lifespan, he kept his touch in science, research, literature even in education. His contribution and interest enriched many field. His works and patriotism were the silent protester

against maladministration, racism and discrimination in late 19^th and early 20^th century. It is not known that how many “today’s Indian patriot” know about this patriot and his struggle.