Homi Jehangir Bhabha
Homi Jehangir Bhabha was a multifaceted personality - scientist, visionary and institution builder. He was born on October 30, 1909 in an illustrious family with a long tradition of learning and service to the country. Bhabha was exposed to fine arts, music and painting, which moulded his artistic traits.
Bhabha was intelligent, hard working and sincere student. After finishing schooling, Bhabha’s parents sent him to Cambridge University, UK for higher education in mechanical engineering. After completing his degree in 1932, Bhabha continued his research at Cambridge University. His first paper appeared in 1934, based on theoretical explanation of shower production in cosmic rays. His name is associated with Bhabha scattering, which involves relativistic exchange scattering of electrons and Bhabha-Heitler theory, dealing with production of electron and positron showers in cosmic rays. Thus, it was no surprise that at a young age of 31, he was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society, London. Bhabha rubbed shoulders with great physicists like Bohr, Pauli, Dirac, Cockcroft and others, who later became Noble Laureates. This period was crucial for Bhabha for capacity building and leadership qualities.
Bhabha was on vacation during 1939, when the second world war broke out and he could not go back abroad to continue his research. He then joined Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore as a Reader in Department of Physics, headed by Sir C. V. Raman and set up a cosmic ray research unit. Raman had great admiration for Bhabha and at Nagpur Indian Academy meeting in 1941, while introducing Bhabha, he said “Bhabha is a great lover of music, a gifted artist, a brilliant engineer and an outstanding scientist. He is the modern equivalent of Leonardo da Vinci”. It was from Bangalore in 1944, Bhabha wrote his historical letter to the Tata trust for support in setting up a centre for research work in nuclear science, which could play a central role in the development of nuclear energy. There was a clear similarity in vision between the great Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata and Bhabha with respect to the need for education, scientific research and human resource development for economic prosperity. Subsequently, in 1945 Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) was formed and large scale research in physics, chemistry, electronics and mathematics commenced.
Bhabha was instrumental for the formation of Atomic Energy Commission in 1948 and the Department of Atomic Energy in 1954 and he chalked out a focussed research and minerals exploration programmes for nuclear energy. He was such a visionary that he had realized the importance of nuclear power programme way back in 1950s and enunciated a three stage nuclear programme so as to meet the energy security of the nation. It consisted of utilization of natural uranium, plutonium and abundant thorium resources in thermal, fast and advanced nuclear reactors with closed fuel cycle. He also had balanced perspective on the role of other energy resources such as coal, oil and solar. A significant factor that contributed for the growth of nuclear sciences and its applications was Bhabha's rapport with the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who reposed complete confidence in him. This was possible because Bhabha had the deserving credentials and his passion matched with Nehru’s vision of modern India. There was a great synergy in thinking between Nehru and Bhabha with respect to industrialization and scientific research, evolving hand-in-hand.
Bhabha gave utmost importance to the development of quality human resources. The commencement and continuation of BARC Training School for the scientific manpower over the last 50 years is a real tribute to Bhabha’s foresight on quality manpower. Bhabha, a person of perfection, purpose and excellence, ensured these qualities in all his endeavours viz., research, management, buildings and environment. His total conviction, never-accepting mediocrity, never compromising on excellence, meeting the challenges head-on with confidence made him a unique personality. Bhabha was a great scientific manager and followed the mantra of right man for the right job.
Bhabha had received many prestigious national and international awards and recognitions. In 1954, he was conferred with Padma Bhushan award for outstanding contributions to nuclear science. In 1955, he was elected as the President of the first International Conference on the 'Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy', organized by the UN at Geneva.
At a young age of 56, Bhabha suddenly passed away in 1966 due to a plane crash in Switzerland. A vibrant and robust organization, that he had left behind with many signal achievements in nuclear science and technology as well as a dedicated and talented pool of human resources, bears testimony to the visionary zeal of Bhabha. His life was an example for all of us, which stood for ‘deserve, desire and demonstrate’.
Message for youth
Bhabha’s life is an example of pursuing individual passion with a national perspective and purpose. If he chose, he could have gone abroad after the Second World War and pursued his scientific research and perhaps, could have even won Noble prize in physics. But, he chose to stay back to serve the country. He channelized all his scientific pursuits to develop scientific institutes with an aim to serve the society. He blended his individual vision and passion with that of the Country. Today, we have world class institutes and the Departments like Atomic Energy and Space, thanks to Bhabha’s foresight and vision. Thus, his life message to all of us is ‘do pursue the passion of your life but with a vector or direction of serving the country and making it proud with your contributions’.
More Details About Homi Jehangir Bhabha:
Homi Jehangir Bhabha was a multifaceted personality - scientist, visionary and institution builder. He was born on October 30, 1909 in an illustrious family with a long tradition of learning and service to the country. Bhabha was exposed to fine arts, music and painting, which moulded his artistic traits.
Bhabha was intelligent, hard working and sincere student. After finishing schooling, Bhabha’s parents sent him to Cambridge University, UK for higher education in mechanical engineering. After completing his degree in 1932, Bhabha continued his research at Cambridge University. His first paper appeared in 1934, based on theoretical explanation of shower production in cosmic rays. His name is associated with Bhabha scattering, which involves relativistic exchange scattering of electrons and Bhabha-Heitler theory, dealing with production of electron and positron showers in cosmic rays. Thus, it was no surprise that at a young age of 31, he was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society, London. Bhabha rubbed shoulders with great physicists like Bohr, Pauli, Dirac, Cockcroft and others, who later became Noble Laureates. This period was crucial for Bhabha for capacity building and leadership qualities.
Bhabha was on vacation during 1939, when the second world war broke out and he could not go back abroad to continue his research. He then joined Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore as a Reader in Department of Physics, headed by Sir C. V. Raman and set up a cosmic ray research unit. Raman had great admiration for Bhabha and at Nagpur Indian Academy meeting in 1941, while introducing Bhabha, he said “Bhabha is a great lover of music, a gifted artist, a brilliant engineer and an outstanding scientist. He is the modern equivalent of Leonardo da Vinci”. It was from Bangalore in 1944, Bhabha wrote his historical letter to the Tata trust for support in setting up a centre for research work in nuclear science, which could play a central role in the development of nuclear energy. There was a clear similarity in vision between the great Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata and Bhabha with respect to the need for education, scientific research and human resource development for economic prosperity. Subsequently, in 1945 Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) was formed and large scale research in physics, chemistry, electronics and mathematics commenced.
Bhabha was instrumental for the formation of Atomic Energy Commission in 1948 and the Department of Atomic Energy in 1954 and he chalked out a focussed research and minerals exploration programmes for nuclear energy. He was such a visionary that he had realized the importance of nuclear power programme way back in 1950s and enunciated a three stage nuclear programme so as to meet the energy security of the nation. It consisted of utilization of natural uranium, plutonium and abundant thorium resources in thermal, fast and advanced nuclear reactors with closed fuel cycle. He also had balanced perspective on the role of other energy resources such as coal, oil and solar. A significant factor that contributed for the growth of nuclear sciences and its applications was Bhabha's rapport with the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who reposed complete confidence in him. This was possible because Bhabha had the deserving credentials and his passion matched with Nehru’s vision of modern India. There was a great synergy in thinking between Nehru and Bhabha with respect to industrialization and scientific research, evolving hand-in-hand.
Bhabha gave utmost importance to the development of quality human resources. The commencement and continuation of BARC Training School for the scientific manpower over the last 50 years is a real tribute to Bhabha’s foresight on quality manpower. Bhabha, a person of perfection, purpose and excellence, ensured these qualities in all his endeavours viz., research, management, buildings and environment. His total conviction, never-accepting mediocrity, never compromising on excellence, meeting the challenges head-on with confidence made him a unique personality. Bhabha was a great scientific manager and followed the mantra of right man for the right job.
Bhabha had received many prestigious national and international awards and recognitions. In 1954, he was conferred with Padma Bhushan award for outstanding contributions to nuclear science. In 1955, he was elected as the President of the first International Conference on the 'Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy', organized by the UN at Geneva.
At a young age of 56, Bhabha suddenly passed away in 1966 due to a plane crash in Switzerland. A vibrant and robust organization, that he had left behind with many signal achievements in nuclear science and technology as well as a dedicated and talented pool of human resources, bears testimony to the visionary zeal of Bhabha. His life was an example for all of us, which stood for ‘deserve, desire and demonstrate’.
Message for youth
Bhabha’s life is an example of pursuing individual passion with a national perspective and purpose. If he chose, he could have gone abroad after the Second World War and pursued his scientific research and perhaps, could have even won Noble prize in physics. But, he chose to stay back to serve the country. He channelized all his scientific pursuits to develop scientific institutes with an aim to serve the society. He blended his individual vision and passion with that of the Country. Today, we have world class institutes and the Departments like Atomic Energy and Space, thanks to Bhabha’s foresight and vision. Thus, his life message to all of us is ‘do pursue the passion of your life but with a vector or direction of serving the country and making it proud with your contributions’.
Services:
1. Founded the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
2. He was the first president of the Atomic Energy Commission of India
3.
He was President of the first United Nations Conference on the peaceful
use of nuclear energy, which took place in Geneva in 1955.
The
Bhabha sermon, whose full name was the sermon Jehnagir Bhabha, was a
famous Indian physicist. In independent India, the sermon Jehnagir
Bhabha, with support from Jawaharlal Nehru, attended the establishment
of a scientific institution and was responsible for the creation of two
first level institutions, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research () (
TIFR) and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). The Bhabha sermon
was the first president of the Atomic Energy Commission of India.
The
sermon Jehangir Bhabha was born on October 30th, 1909 in Bombay in a
wealthy family of Parsee. After graduating from Elphinstone College and
the Royal Institute of Science in Bombay, he attended the University of
Cambridge. He received his doctorate in 1934. During this period he
worked with Niels Bohr in studies that led to quantum theory. The sermon
Jehnagir Bhabha also worked with Walter Heitler in the theory of
cascades of electron showers, which was of great importance for the
understanding of cosmic radiation. He has an important role in
identifying the hostel.
Due
to the outbreak of World War II, the sermon Jehangir Bhabha returned to
India, 1939. He created the Cosmic Ray Research Unit at the Indian
Institute of Science, Bangalore, in C. V. Raman in 1939. With the help
of J.R.D. Tata, he created the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in
Mumbai. In 1945, he became director of the Tata Institute of
Fundamental Research.
Besides
a great scientist, friend Bhabha, he was also an expert administrator.
After independence, he received the blessing of Jawaharlal Nehru for the
peaceful development of atomic energy. Establishment of the Indian
Atomic Energy Commission in 1948. Under his leadership, Indian
scientists worked on the development of atomic energy, and the first
nuclear reactor in Asia came in Trombay, near Bombay, in 1956.
He
was President of the first United Nations Conference on the peaceful
use of nuclear energy, which took place in Geneva in 1955. It advocates
the international control of nuclear energy and the banning of nuclear
bombs by all countries. He wanted to use nuclear energy to alleviate the
poverty and misery of the people.
He
has received numerous academic degrees from Indian and foreign
universities and is a member of many scientific societies, including the
National Academy of Sciences in the United States. He has also allowed
many articles on quantum theory and cosmic rays. He died in January 1966
in Switzerland.
The sermon Jehangir Bhabha is the founder and first architect of the Atomic Energy Program of India.
Bhabha
was born in 1909, a wealthy well-connected family of Parsee. Bhabha's
uncle was Sir Dorab Tata (married to the sister of the father of
Bhabha), son of the founder of the mighty Tata Group. Bhabha grew up in
Mumbai (formerly Bombay), while his father was a general Inspector of
education in Mysore.
At
the age of 18 years after graduating from Cambridge (at Bombay
Cathedral High School), Bhabha went to England to study 1927 to the AM
the AM the AM the AM at the end of the University of Cambridge, but his
heart was really in physical. And so, immediately after the handover of
the Thrips Mechanical Sciences in 1930, it was changed for research in
theoretical physics.
During
the period of 1930-1939, Bhabha the extraordinary original exploration
of cosmic radiation, the return with observations on the production of
electro pairs in interaction of cosmic radiation with the matter, and
also the identification of heavy muons as electron particles-as in the
penetration component of cosmic rays. All this gave him his choice for
the prestigious Fellowship of the Royal Society in 1940, from the age of
31.
During
this period, Bhabha not only developed a strong friendship with
scientists working in the Rutherford lab, including John Cockroft, Paul
Delta and WB Lewis, but also spent time with other great physicists like
Niels Bohr. (in Copenhagen), Wolfgang Pauli (in Zurich) and Enrico
Fermi (in Rome)-the friendship they respected in the following years
when he started organizing the program in India. Bhabha learned of the
discovery of the division abroad.
Bhabha
returned to India in 1939 and had to stay behind because of the
separation of the Second World War. He chose to work at the Indian
Institute of Science in Bangalore, where C. V. Raman, the first Nobel
laureate of Science in India, was head of the physics department at the
time. Originally named as a reader, Bhabha was soon appointed professor
of cosmic rays research. In addition to experimental work in cosmic
rays, Bhabha has also pursued his natural interests in mathematics.
