Homi Jehangir Bhabha by Enakshi Chatterjee-OU Sem 5
Homi Jehangir Bhabha
by
Enakshi Chatterjee
OU Degree English Semester V
Unit 3
New syllabus with effect from 2024-2025
Summary
Enakshi Chatterjee was a prolific author in both Bengali and English in variety of genres, including humour, popular science and poetry. Her notable books include Paramanu Jignasa and Masterminds: Profiles of Eleven Indian Scientists. The government of West Bengal awarded her the Rabindra Puraskar in 1974 for her book Paramanu Jignasa, which she co-written with her husband, the nuclear physicist Santimay Chatterjee. She also received Bidyasagar Award for her children’s literature and The Kalidas Nag Award for lifetime achievement in literature. Additionally, she was a prominent translator of English and Bengali books. She translated Vikram Seth’s ‘Suitable Boy’ into Bengali.
Enakshi Chatterjee’s essay on Homi Jehangir Bhabha is an
excerpt from her book Masterminds: Profiles of Eleven Indian Scientists. The
essay delves into the life of Homi Bhabha, a pivotal figure in India's nuclear
program. Enakshi Chatterji discusses Bhabha’s influence on India’s scientific
community and contribution to science and society in India.
Bhabha was born on 30 October 1909 in Bombay to a wealthy
Parsi family. His father, Jahangir Bhabha, was a prominent lawyer, and his
mother, Meherbai Bhabha. Homi Bhabha, an Indian nuclear physicist, often
referred to as the father of India's nuclear program. He played a crucial role
in establishing the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and was instrumental
in the development of India's atomic energy program. He attended
Cathedral School and later joined Elphinstone College. He continued his
education at the Royal Institute of Science, Bombay, and later enrolled at
Cambridge University in 1927 to study mechanical engineering. Under the
influence of Paul Dirac, Bhabha developed a passion for theoretical physics and
switched his focus to theoretical physics at Cambridge.
Bhabha had the privilege of being in close contact with renowned
figure in the field like Blackett, Chadwick, Kapitza and Rutherford. He had also had the opportunity of going to Europe on a travelling fellowship and working with the leading physicists of the century- Pauli in Zurich and Fermi in Rome.
As he could not return to Cambridge due to World War II in 1939, he accepted
the post of in charge of a special cosmic ray research unit at the IISC, Bangalore.
In 1941, Bhabha was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. Bhabha had to go
back to Europe after World War II but he changed his mind to stay in India to
shape India’s future in science. In 1945, Tata Institute of Fundamental
Research TIFR was established in Bombay with his efforts by convincing Tatas.
He gathered talented scientists from all over India to work at TIFR. Noted
scholars from all over the world were invited to give talks at the institute.
From 1947 to 1957, Bhabha devoted all his time to
organising science in India on a gigantic scale. The then Prime Minister Jawaharlal
Nehru gave him a free hand in planning India’s atomic energy programme. Bhabha
sacrificed personal ambition and an academic career for the sake of the country.
Bhabha sought help of Canada in building a reactor in Trombay. Bhabha showed
how nuclear power could compete with thermal power and stressed peaceful uses
of atomic energy at the 1955 Geneva conference. It was his dream that India
should build on reactor every year, so that it would never have any power
shortage. India has a large deposit of thorium. Bhabha had devised plans for
fast breeder reactors essential for converting thorium into nuclear fuel. An
experimental fast reactor was set up at Kalpakam near Madras, but Bhabha did not
live to witness its operation.
Tragically, Bhabha passed away on January 24, 1966, at
the age of 57, in a plane crash near Mont Blanc in the Alps. In his honour, The
Trombay Atomic Energy Establishment was renamed the Bhabha Atomic Research
Centre.
Answer the following questions in one or two
lines.
1. What is the central theme of Enakshi Chatterjee's prose essay 'Homi Jehangir Bhabha?
The central theme is the exploration of Bhabha’s pivotal role in establishing India’s nuclear program and his influence on the scientific community.
2. How does Chatterjee portray Bhabha's
contributions to science and society in her essay?
Bhabha played a key role in establishing the institutions like The Trombay Atomic Energy Establishment (BARC) and TIFR.
3. What are some key events or milestones in
Bhabha's life and career that Chatterjee
highlights?
Key events highlighted include Bhabha’s education at Cambridge, his election as a Fellow of the Royal Society, the establishment of TIFR, and his role in founding the Atomic Energy Commission of India.
4. According to Chatterjee, what were some of
the challenges Bhabha faced in his pursuit of scientific excellence ?
Bhabha faced challenges such as the disruption of his studies due to World War II, the need to secure international collaboration, and the complexities of establishing a nuclear program in a newly independent nation.
5 . How does Chatterjee describe Bhabha's
personality and character traits in her essay?
Chatterjee describes Bhabha as visionary, dedicated, and self-sacrificing, emphasizing his commitment to India’s scientific progress over personal ambition.
6. What according to Chatterjee is the impact of Bhabha's ideas on contemporary scientific discourse?
Bhabha advocated for the peaceful use of nuclear energy and inspired future generations of scientists
7. What are some criticisms or challenges
discussed in the essay regarding Bhabha's theories?
The essay discusses criticisms of Bhabha’s theories related to nuclear energy, including concerns over safety, environmental impact, and the ethical implications of nuclear technology.
8. What historical context does Chatterjee
provide to situate Bhabha's work?
Chatterjee situates Bhabha's work within the historical context of post-colonial India, where there was a strong push for self-sufficiency and modernization in science and technology.
9. What was Bhabha's fondest dream? How did he
realize it?
Bhabha’s fondest dream was for India to achieve energy independence through nuclear power, which he sought to realize by establishing research institutions and advocating for nuclear development.
10 . How did Bhabha meet his tragic end? How did India honour his memory?
Bhabha tragically died in a plane crash on January 24, 1966. India honored his memory by renaming the Trombay Atomic Energy Establishment to the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
Comments
Post a Comment