#memory
Meghnad Saha.
6 October is the birth anniversary of the renowned astrophysicist, Prof. Meghnad Saha (1893-1956).
Saha was born in Dhaka, in present day Bangladesh and educated in Calcutta .He travelled to Europe in 1919 for research studies.
Saha became famous in the 1920s itself with his “Saha Ionisation Equation “. Prof. Saha showed the world how to measure the temperature of the Sun and other stars by studying the nature of the light they emitted.
Unfortunately he was not awarded the Nobel prize despite being nominated seven times.
The brilliant scientist was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1928 at the young age of 35.
Dr Saha was Professor in the Allahabad University from 1923 to 1938 and thereafter in the Calcutta University till his death in 1956.
Saha was elected an MP in 1952 and was instrumental in planning the establishment of various research institutions in the country as well as the massive Damodar Valley project.
Prof Saha is the founder of the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics in Calcutta.
– Joy Kallivayalil.
