Pushpa Mittra Bhargava
Pushpa Mittra Bhargava | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 1 August 2017 | (aged 89)
Nationality | Indian |
Awards | Padma Bhushan |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Biology (Biotechnology) |
Institutions | Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) |
Website | pmbhargava |
Pushpa Mittra Bhargava (22 February 1928 – 1 August 2017) was an Indian scientist, writer, and administrator. He founded the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, a federally funded research institute, in Hyderabad. He was outspoken and highly influential in the development of scientific temper in India, and argued that scientific rationalism needed to be cultivated as a civic duty.[1][2]
Life
Early life
Bhargava was born in
Career
After completing Ph.D. at Lucknow University, Bhargava moved to Hyderabad.
Bhargava worked in the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, and travelled in over 50 countries.[4] He produced more than 125 scientific publications. Most of his research career was carried out in Hyderabad where he established the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in 1977. He retired from the directorship of CCMB in 1990 to join the newly created CSIR Distinguished Fellowship from which he was relieved in 1993.[4]
Establishment of CCMB
Bhargava set up the
Policy maker in Indian science
Bhargava was a well-known critic of Indian governmental policies, and attained the post of vice-chairman in the
Rationalism and science popularisation
Bhargava has long been involved in the promotion of science and rationality and opposing superstition. He has been associated with the Association of Scientific Workers in India (ASWI) which was established in 1946 as a trade union of scientists, one of the main objectives of which was to develop scientific temper.[15]
In 1963, Bhargava, along with
Bhargava has participated in many debates related to science and superstitions and criticised the deplorable lack of scientific temper in society. He has been one of a few rationalists in India to raise voice against influential religious priests and gurus.[17] His book The Angels, Devil and Science deals with the very subject of scientific temper in India.[18] He played an important role in having scientific temper incorporated as a fundamental duty of the citizens of India, in the 42nd constitutional amendment in 1976. He was one of the key architects of the widely known 'Statement on Scientific temper', issued jointly by a group of liberal, committed and rational high-achievers of the country.[19] The statement issued in 1981, has not only been debated and discussed in several forums, but continues to be referred to in writings and speeches even today.
During the NDA rule in 2000, the Government of India decided to ask universities to introduce academic courses and offer science degrees in astrology.
Death
Bhargava died on 1 August 2017, aged 89 at
Awards
Bhargava received Padma Bhushan from the President of India in 1986,[26] but returned it in 2015 as an act of protest against the Indian government's active erosion of spaces for dissent within the country.[27][28]
Books
The books co-authored by Bhargava include:
- Proteins of Seminal Plasma, published by John Wiley, New York (1990); co-authors S. Shivaji, Karl Heinz Scheit, ISBN 978-0-471-84685-7
- The Saga of Indian Science since Independence: In a Nutshell, published by Universities Press (2003); co-author Chandana Chakrabarti, ISBN 81-7371-435-5
- Angels, Devil, and Science: A Collection of Articles on Scientific Temper, published by National Book Trust (2007); co-author Chandana Chakrabarti, ISBN 978-81-237-5184-9
- Agenda for the Nation: An Untold Story of the UPA Government, published by Mapin Publishing Pvt.Ltd. (2014); co-author Chandana Chakrabarti, ISBN 1-935677-45-4
- The Two Faces of Beauty: Science and Art, published by Mapin Publishing Pvt.Ltd. (2014); co-author Chandana Chakrabarti, ISBN 1-935677-24-1
References
- ^ "The Hindu Opportunities : An interview with Dr. Pushpa Mittra Bhargava, recipient of the Padma Bhushan". Archived from the original on 8 December 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ "About CCMB > Profile". Ccmb.res.in. 1 April 1977. Archived from the original on 31 August 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
- ^ "Architect of Modern Biology – BioSpectrumIndia". www.biospectrumindia.com. Archived from the original on 27 February 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
- ^ a b c d "PMB Memoirs: Nine decades of PM Bhargava". PMB Memoirs. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
- ^ a b c d Kalyane, V.L. "Scientometric Portrait of P. M. Bhargava" (PDF). Lucknow Librarian. 27 (1–4): 42–70. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
- ^ "CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology". www.iictindia.org. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
- ^ "CSIR Labs". Council of Scientific & Industrial Research. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
- ^ "National Knowledge Commission constituted". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 2 June 2005. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
- ^ "PM reconstitutes National Security Advisory Board". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 11 April 2008. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
- ^ "Cultivation of GM food crops- Prospects and effects" (PDF). Ministry of Agriculture. Government of India. August 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
- ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
- ^ Koshy, Jacob (29 October 2015). "Ex-Padma Bhushan Pushpa Bhargava's Half A Century Of Dissent". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
- ^ Reddy, Prashant (20 May 2012). "CSIR Tech. Pvt. Ltd: Its controversial past and its uncertain future". SpicyIP. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
- ^ "Letter from Dr. Pushpa M. Bhargava to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Ayyadurai's report". 30 October 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
- ^ "International Conference on Science Communication for Science Temper" (PDF). National Institute of Science Communication And Information Resources. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
- ^ Bhargava P.M. and Chakrabarti C. 2008. Angels, Devil and Science. NATIONAL BOOK TRUST, INDIA
- ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
- ^ "Welcome to National Book Trust India". www.nbtindia.gov.in. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
- ^ Bhargava, PM (17 January 2015). "Scientists without a scientific temper". The Hindu.
- ^ Ramachandran, R (2001). "Degrees of pseudo-science". www.frontline.in. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
- ^ "Dr. P.M. Bhargava And Others vs University Grants Commission, ... on 27 April, 2001". indiankanoon.org. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ "Scientists oppose move to introduce astrology courses". The Hindu. 20 April 2001. Archived from the original on 17 October 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
- ^ "Introduction of Vedic astrology courses in varsities upheld". The Hindu. 6 May 2004. Archived from the original on 25 June 2009. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 March 2005. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Koshy, Jacob; Naninsetti, Serish (August 2017). "Pushpa Bhargava, Scientist And Activist, Dies At 89". The Hindu. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
- ^ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ Mallikarjun, Y. (29 October 2015). "Worried over India's future, scientist P.M. Bhargava to return Padma Bhushan". The Hindu. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
- Indianexpress.com. 2 November 2015.