35)Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha: Eminent Physicist and visionary in the field of Nuclear Science and Research, in Independent India (30.10.1909 – 24.01.1966)

Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha:

Eminent Physicist and visionary in the field of Nuclear Science and Research, in Independent India

(30.10.1909 – 24.01.1966)

He was born on 30.10.1909 in Bombay (present day Mumbai) in a well-to-do Parsi-Zorastrian family. He studied in Bombay’s Cathedral Grammar School and later at Elphinstone College. He was a brilliant student and by the age of 15 had developed a keen scientific acumen, particularly in Physics and was thoroughly at ease with the established scientific principles of the day. After passing his senior Cambridge Examination, he went to the Royal Institute of Science and then Cambridge University to study Engineering as his father and his uncle Dorab Tata ware keen that he should join the Tata Iron and Steel Company in Jamshedpur (Bihar – India).

He secured several scholarships (viz, Rouse Ball Travelling Studentship for two years, Sir Isaac Newton Fellowship in 1934 and the 1851 Exhibition Studentship in 1936).

His Work:

He had occasion to work with eminent scientists like, Wolfgang Pouli, John Cockroft, Enrico Fermi, Rutherford, Paul Dirac, Neils Bohr and Heitler. Each one of them had a profound and lasting effect on him. However, He was greatly influenced by Dirac to pursue an education in theoretical Physics. In 1936, With him, in 1936, Bhabha published a paper titled “The Passage of Fast Electrons and the Theory of Cosmic Showers” in the Royal Society Journal “Proceedings of the Royal Society”.

Later, with Heitler, he developed the “Bhabha-Heitler Cascade theory of Electron showers” in cosmic rays in 1939, which explains the sub-atomic level movement and impact effects of these rays at different levels , particularly when they enter the Earth’s atmosphere. Bhabha’s work on cosmic radiation led him to predict the existence of charged particles, other than electron and proton, which was later discovered by scientists and called the “meson”.

He returned to India in 1939 from England when World War II broke out, and chose to stay back spuning offers of prestigious assignments in England. He wanted to contribute his mite towards the progress of the country of his birth, India and figured out the socio-economic development could take place only with the help of science.

 He joined the Indian Institute of Sciences, and set up a new Department to undertake research on cosmic rays, together with Sir C.V. Raman, but he was hampered in his vision by lack of equipment and poor research facilities. Not to be daunted, he wrote to the Dorabji Tata Trust in 1944, which liked his suggestion of setting up  a Research facility for spearheading nuclear research in India and established the “Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in 1945, with Dr. Bhabha as its Director. He founded the Department of Atomic Energy and the Atomic Energy Commission in 1948.

He advocated the use of nuclear/atomic energy for peaceful purposes, long before other nations thought of it and it was at his initiative that India’s first atomic power plant was set up at Tarapur, Maharashtra (India) in 1963 for generation of electricity, followed by a plutonium plant in 1965. He also led research initiatives in electronics, space science, radio astronomy and micro-biology.  Later, after he passed away, a powerful radio telescope was set up at Ooty, Tamil Nadu (India) in 1970, to carry his vision in astronomy forward.

 Untimely Death and Legacy:

He passed away on 24.01.1966, at the age of 56 in an accident when the Air-India flight he was travelling in , crashed near Mont Blanc in Switzerland, when it was about to land at Geneva.

He left behind him a large pool of Scientists in the field of Nuclear Physics, sophisticated scientific technology capable of leading India’s initiatives in the fields of Electronics, space science, radio astronomy and nuclear physics.  On 18^th May 1974, when India exploded a nuclear device at Pokharan, Rajasthan, for peaceful purposes, it was a feather in the cap of Indian scientists, who had been pursuing Bhabha’s vision. The recent successes of Indian space-craft travelling to the moon (the (Chandrayaan expedition) are examples of initiatives, that, are a tribute to his great vision.

Awards and Recognition:

In 1941, he was elected as a member of the Royal Society. The University of Cambridge awarded the “Adams Prize” to him.

In 1948, he received the Hopkins Prize of the Cambridge Philosophical Society.

He was elected President of the Indian Science Congress in 1951.

For his outstanding contribution to nuclear science, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan Award in 1954 (“Padma” stands for” Lotus”, which is the National Flower of India and Bhushan means “Ornament”) by the Government of India.

In Geneva, in 1955, he represented India in International Atomic Energy forums and as President of the United Nations Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy he led initiatives of international co-operation in the direction of peaceful uses of Atomic Energy.  He was a member of several scientific advisory  committees of the United Nations and International Atomic Energy Agency.

In 1958, he was elected as a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

He was awarded honorary doctorates by several International and Indian Universities viz: Agra, Allahabad, Aligarh (which, incidentally,  is also my Alma Mater, as my father was a Senior Professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College at the University) , Benaras (present day Varanasi), Cambridge, Lucknow (where I  have studied Law at Canning College),  London, Padova, Perth, Patna , to name a few.

He was an honorary Fellow of many other institutions and Universities.

 In 1963, he was elected as the President of the National Institute of Sciences of India and also served as Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Committee for advising the Government of India.

In 1967, the Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay, was renamed as the “Bhabha Atomic Research Centre”. The Homi Bhabha Fellowships Council confers Fellowships on eminent scientists since 1967.

Commemorative Coins: 

  

The cover of the two-coin Commemorative Proof set issued by Mumbai Mint showing an image of Homi Bhabha issued in 2009 from the collection of Jayant Biswas.

Obverse of the two-coin Proof set of 100 rupees and 10 Rupees (bi-metallic). The legend "Bharat Rupiye" is mentioned in Hindi on the left periphery of the coin and "India Rupees" is mentioned on the right periphery of the two coins. The Lion Capitol figures in the centre of both the coins together with the legend "Satyameva Jayate" (Truth always Prevails). The numerals "100" and "10" are on the bottom of each of the two coins indicating the denomination of the two coins.

The specifications of the two coins are:

100 Rupees coin:

Shape: Circular; 

Diameter: 44 mm; 

No.of Serrations:200; 

Weight: 35 gms; 

Metal Composition: Quaternary Alloy (Silver : 50%, Copper : 40%; Nickel: 5%, Zinc: 5%).

10 Rupees coin : 

Shape: Circular; 

Diameter: 27 mm;

Weight: 7.71 gms;

Metal Composition:  

Outer ring:(Aluminium Bronze: Copper - 92%; Aluminium - 6%; Nickel - 2%). 

Inner Ring: (Cupro-Nickel: Copper - 75%; Nickel - 25%). 

Reverse of the above set showing a portrait of Homi Bhabha, facing left on each of the two coins. The coins , also, show a picture of Homi Jehangir Bhabha with the legend” Homi Bhabha Janma Shatabdi Varsh” in Hindi on the left periphery, and “Homi Bhabha Birth Centenary year” on the right periphery.The centenary celebration year “2008-2009” is below his picture.

Also, notice the "M" mint mark below the centenary celebration years indicating that this is a Mumbai Mint coin set issue. Interestingly, when Mumbai Mint issues a Proof coin set, it uses the "M" mint mark instead of its usual "Diamond" mint mark placed on other coin issues.

In 2009, to commemorate the occasion of Homi J. Bhabha’s Birth Centenary Year,  the Reserve Bank of India also issued  a bimetallic coin for general circulation, weighing 7.71 gms and having a diameter of 27 mm. The outer ring consists of Aluminium Bronze (Copper 92%, Zinc 6% and Nickel 2%). The inner section is Cupro –nickel (Copper 75% and Nickel 25%.

The obverse of this coin shows the Lion Capital Emblem of the Government of India with the words “Satyameva Jayate” (Truth Always Prevails) below the Lion Capital, which form an integral part of the emblem of the Govt. of India. The words “Bharat” and “Rupiye” in Hindi are on the left side, while the words “India” and “Rupees” appear on the right side. The numeral "10" appears below the Lion Capital indicating the denomination of the coin.  This coin has been minted at Mumbai mint.

The reverse of this coin shows a picture of Homi Jehangir Bhabha with the legend” Homi Bhabha Janma Shatabdi Varsh” in Hindi on the left side, and “Homi Bhabha Birth Centenary year” on the right side.The centenary celebration year “2008-2009” is below his picture. This coin exhibits the "Diamond" (Mumbai Mint Mark) below the Centenary celebration year.

There was a controversy regarding the inscription “Homi Bhabha Centenary Year 2008-2009”. Some numismatists were up in arms saying that as Centenary commemorative coins mostly have the Birth and death years of the person being honoured, this was not done in this coin. For example, the Jawaharlal Nehru coin had 1889-1964 mentioned on it for the Centenary celebrations in 1989 and for the coin celebrating Mahatma Gandhi, the inscription was “1869-1948” for centenary commemorative coins issued in 1969 in his honour. While mentioning the life years of a person being commemorated has been a practice at the mints, “technically” there is nothing wrong in mentioning the” Centenary celebration year “ on the face of a coin and this depiction is also correct. The practice is that the centenary year begins one year before the 100^th year of birth , and the coins are mostly issued any time during the Centenary year.The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and allied establishments, also celebrated 2008-2009 as the Centenary year for Homi J.Bhabha.

The Posts and Telegraph Department has , also brought out a  four Rupee stamp in honour of Homi  Jehangir Bhabha .   An image of this stamp is placed below for reference.