ASTROPHYSICIST FROM INDIA - Who missed the Nobel Prize

Meghnad Saha was an outstanding Indian scientist. He made remarkable contribution to the field of Astrophysics. He is best known for his development of the Saha Ionisation Equation, used to describe chemical and physical conditions in stars.

Childhood

Meghnad Saha was born on October 6, 1893 in Sheoratali, a village in the District of Dacca, now in Bangladesh. His father was a grocer in the village.  Meghnad Saha managed to pursue his schooling with the support of a local medical practitioner, Ananta Kumar Das.

College days

He took admission in the Kishorilal Jubili School and passed the Entrance Examination of the Calcutta University standing first among the students from East Bengal. In 1913 he graduated from Presidency College. In 1915, both S.N.Bose and Meghnad Saha ranked first in M.Sc. exam.

Freedom movement

While studying in Presidency College, Meghnad got involved in the freedom movement. He also came in contact with nationalists like Subhash Chandra Bose and Rajendra Prasad. In 1917, Meghnad Saha joined as lecturer at the newly opened University College of Science in Calcutta. 

"Ionization formula"

In 1919, American Astrophysical Journal published a research paper prepared by Meghnad Saha. He put forward an "Ionization formula.” This equation is one of the basic tools for interpretation of the spectra of stars in astrophysics. By studying the spectra of various stars, one can find their temperature and from that, using Saha's equation, determine the ionisation state of the various elements making up the star.

Other contributions

Saha also invented an instrument to measure the weight and pressure of solar rays. He founded the journal Science and Culture and was the editor until his death. He was the leading spirit in organising several scientific societies and institutions. A lasting memorial to him is the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, founded in 1943 in Kolkata. 

Legacy

Saha was the chief architect of river planning in India and prepared the original plan for the Damodar Valley Project. The Nobel Committee evaluated Saha Ionisation Equation a few times. It was seen as a useful application, but not a "discovery." Thus he was not awarded the Prize.

In 1952 he stood as an independent candidate for Parliament and was elected by a wide margin. He died on February 16, 1956 due to a heart attack.

* Published in December issue of GENIUS Punnagai