Know 10 Facts About Scientist Dr Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar
Pompa Sen
Dr Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar was the Founder Director of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) who is credited with establishing twelve national laboratories in as many years.
Dr Bhatnagar played a significant role in building post independent S & T infrastructure and in the formulation of India’s S & T policies.
Dr Bhatnagar was the first Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC). He was Secretary, Ministry of Education and Educational Adviser of Government.
He was the first Secretary to the Ministry of Natural Resource & Scientific Research and also Secretary of the Atomic Energy Commission. He played an instrumental role in the establishment of the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) of India.
Dr Bhatnagar research contributions in the areas of magneto chemistry and physical chemistry of emulsion were widely recognized.
In 1936, Dr Bhatnagar was conferred with Order of the British Empire (OBE). He was Knighted in 1941 and elected Fellow of Royal Society, London in 1943. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1954 by the President of India.
Dr Bhatnagar provided innovative solutions to several industrial problems and persistently refused personal monetary benefit research facilities at universities.
Dr Bhatnagar died of a heart attack on 1 January 1955. The prestigious award "Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) Prize for Science & Technology" was instituted in his honour.