A photographic excursion through Sir J. C. Bose Institute Museum in Kolkata India

Abstract

Summary form only given. Sir Jagadis Chandra Bose, FRS was the first experimental physicist from British India (today's Indian subcontinent) who received international recognition through his pioneering work on millimetre wave physics, wireless radio propagation and plant physiology (biophysics). In many of his research areas he was well ahead of his time. Sir Jagadis was born on November 30, 1858 in Meymensingh, East Bengal (now Bangladesh). He was educated at St. Xavier's college in Kolkata (Calcutta), Christ College of Cambridge University as well as the University College of London. In 1885 he was appointed as the professor of physics in Presidency College of Calcutta University. On his 59th birthday, the 30 November 1917 he founded the Bose Institute (BI) in Calcutta. The Sir J.C. Bose Institute is now a prime national establishment in India with vigorous research as well as post graduate education activities on many important facets of life and environmental science, physics and chemistry. Recently a centre for space science, astroparticle physics and cosmology has been established under the BI. Since its very inception, Sir Jagadis himself carefully preserved and displayed the scientific apparatus and equipments developed and constructed by his team made of local craftsmen and students, thereby created the very foundation of the Bose Institute museum, which transformed into a renowned technology-historical museum in India during the period 1986-87. Our talk will highlight the historical development of the Sir J.C. Bose Institute Museum and important exhibits and interesting collections using photographic and multimedia presentations. Sir Jagadis passed away on November 28, 1937 in Giridih, province of Bihar, North-East India. His tomb is situated at the main lawn of the institute.