Page 38 - Science India August 2022

COLLECTOR’S EDITION 2.0
Swatantrata ka Amrut Mahotsava
MOKSHAGUNDAM VISVESVARAYA
(1860-1962)
Engineer, 19th Diwan of Mysore
He was the Chief Engineer of Krishna Raja Sagar dam in Mysore, Laxmi Talav Dam near Kolhapur in south-west Maharash- tra, and served as one of the chief engineers of the flood protection system for the city of Hyderabad. He received Bharat Ratna in 1955. His birthday is celebrated as Engineers Day in India.
PRAFULLA CHANDRA RAY
(1861-1944)
Chemist, Educationist, Pioneering Entrepreneur
The father of chemical science
in India, he established the first modern Indian research school
in chemistry. Was the founder of Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceu- ticals, India’s first pharmaceutical company. He was the author of A History of Hindu Chemistry from the Earliest Times to the Middle of the Sixteenth Century.
RADHANATH SIKDAR
(1813-1870)
Mathematician
He was the first person to calculate the height of Mount Everest, in 1852. He had calculated the height at exactly 29,000 ft. His designa- tion was that of a‘computer,’ and he earned a salary of 40 rupees per month. Without his efforts, Peak XV would have remained just an- other mountain in the Himalayas.
PRAHALAD CHUNNILAL VAIDYA
(1918-2010)
Physicist, Mathematician
Renowned for his instrumental work in the general theory of rela- tivity. Specifically known for ‘Vaidya Metric’, which gave him worldwide recognition at the age of 24. ‘Vaidya Metric’ applies to a set of Einstein’s equations. It has by now found many applications in gravitation theory. Also established the
Gujarat Mathematical Society.
RUCHI RAM SAHNI
(1863-1948)
Physicist, Meteorologist, Educationist
He was India’s first nuclear scientist and worked with the founder of nuclear physics Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937) in England. He was
the first Indian officer to join the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in 1885. He demonstrated that vernacular languages could be successfully used as a medium of disseminating scientific ideas.
PRAMATHA NATH BOSE
(1855-1934)
Geologist, Palaeontologist
He was one of the early Indians to join the Geological Survey of India as a graded officer. He is credited with the setting up of the first soap factory in India and was instrumen- tal in the setting up of Jamshedpur by writing to Jamsetji Tata about the rich iron ore reserves in the region. His efforts led to the establishment of the Bengal Technical Institute, now known as Jadavpur University.
38 SCIENCE INDIA AUGUST 2022