Basanti Dulal Nagchaudhuri

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Basanti Dulal Nagchaudhuri
Rajabazar Science College
University of Calcutta
Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics
Government of India
Planning Commission
Jawaharlal Nehru University
Organization(s)Indian National Science Academy
International Foundation for Science, Sweden
ITC Sangeet Research Academy
Known forBuilding India's first cyclotron
One of the pioneers of nuclear physics in India
SpouseDipali Nag
AwardsPadma Vibhushan

Basanti Dulal Nagchaudhuri (6 September 1917 – 25 June 2006) was an Indian

Nuclear bomb test on 18 May 1974. He also initiated the first feasibility studies on India's ballistic missile
program.

In the early 1970s, as the Scientific Advisor to the

nuclear test. He also initiated the first feasibility studies on India's ballistic missile program. Later, he also served as a member of the Planning Commission and as Vice Chancellor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University
.

Early life

Basanti Dulal Nagchaudhuri was born into

Dhaka University.[3]
He was the eldest of seven sons, one of whom died quite young.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the

Rajabazar Science College campus of University of Calcutta
, Nagchaudhuri moved with him.

Through Saha, he came in contact with Ernest Lawrence and with the latter's support he moved to the University of California, Berkeley at the end of 1938 to work on his doctorate in Nuclear Physics.[3] His thesis advisor was Ernest Lawrence. Nagchaudhuri completed his doctorate in 1941 and returned to India.

After the partition of India in 1947 and the ensuing violence against Hindus in Dhaka, his family moved to India. His father took a position as a professor in the Department of English at the Banaras Hindu University.[3]

Nagchaudhuri was married to Dipali Nag

née Talukdar, daughter of a professor at St. John's College, Agra. Dipali Nag was a well-known classical vocalist.[2]
They had one son.

Professional work

Academics and research

After completing his doctorate in 1941, Nagchaudhuri returned to the

Rajabazar Science College, University of Calcutta to join Saha's research group. In 1949, when the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (SINP) was established, Nagchaudhuri was affiliated with research at the institute, while continuing to teach at Science College, Calcutta University. After Saha's retirement in 1952, he was named Director of the SINP.[3]

Nagchaudhuri's research focused on

Tatas, Nagchaudhuri had arranged for shipment of parts for a cyclotron magnet to the Calcutta University. However, ship carrying the second consignment of parts for the cyclotron was sunk by the Japanese. The team under the leadership of Saha and later under Nagchaudhuri took on the task of building the remaining parts themselves. Problems with the vacuum pumps continued to afflict the project. The demountable oscillators also proved difficult to build. It was only in 1954, after a visit from Emilio Segre to the laboratory, that the cyclotron started to function. Nagchaudhuri is thus credited with building the first cyclotron in India.[5]

In 1953, he succeeded

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
in 1961-62 and nominated as a Lincoln Lecturer.

Government

Being well-connected to the political elite of West Bengal through his relationship with B.C. Roy and with P.N. Haksar, Nagchaudhuri was nominated to serve as the Chairman of the Cabinet Committee of Science & Technology from 1969 to 1972.

DRDO
.

Given his background in nuclear physics, and in his roles as the chair of the cabinet committee and as scientific advisor to the DRDO, he was closely involved in the policy discussion about India's

nuclear test. In October 1972, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi gave the go-ahead for the Smiling Buddha test. Nagchaudhuri was a member of the steering committee for the test preparations.[7]
It was in the scientific laboratories of the DRDO, headed by Nagchaudhuri, that the explosive lenses for the test were fabricated. The test was successfully conducted in May 1974.

In 1970, he was also tasked by Indira Gandhi to prepare a classified feasibility study for building long-range

Integrated Guided Missile Development Program
in the early 1980s.

In 1970-71, Nagchaudhuri also chaired a committee that examined India's maritime security issues. The committee made several key recommendations about the requirement to patrol India's vast coastline, set up a registry of offshore fishing vessels in order to identify illegal activity, and establish a capable and well-equipped force to intercept vessels engaged in illegal activities. The recommendations of the committee formed the foundation of the subsequent Rustamji Committee in 1974, that led to the establishment of the Indian Coast Guard.[10]

Later work

From 1 July 1974 to 1 January 1979, he served as the Vice Chancellor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).[11] From 1975 to 1977, he served as the Chairman of the National Committee on Environmental Planning and Coordination.

He also served on the Board of Governors of the

Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.[4]

Affiliations

Nagchaudhuri served on numerous Indian and international scientific councils. From 1976 to 1984, he served a Member of the Scientific Council of the

East-West Center.[6]

He also served on the boards of various Indian public sector companies. These included

Bharat Electronics Limited and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.[6]

He maintained an active interest in music and culture. He served on the advisory board of the ITC Sangeet Research Academy.[2]

Awards

Nagchaudhuri was elected a Fellow of the

Kanpur University
.

Death

Nagchaudhuri died of a cerebral infarction on 25 June 2006.[2] He was survived by his wife, Dipali Nag, his son and his family.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Physicists". Biological Dictionary of Indian Scientists. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Dr B D Nagchaudhuri passes away". ITC Sangeet Research Academy. Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  3. ^
    ISBN 9780226019772
    . Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  4. ^ a b "INSA News" (PDF) (185). Indian National Science Academy. July–September 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 April 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2012. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ISBN 9780226019772
    . Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  6. ^ a b c "Fellows" (PDF). Indian National Science Academy. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 August 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  7. ISBN 9780226019772
    . Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  8. ISBN 9780226019772
    . Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  9. ISBN 9780226019772
    . Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  10. ^ "History". Indian Coast Guard. Archived from the original on 2 May 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  11. ^ "Former Vice Chancellors". Jawaharlal Nehru University. Archived from the original on 13 May 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
  12. ^ "Dr BD Nag Choudhury". Indian National Science Academy. Archived from the original on 15 April 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
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