Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy
The 150th birth anniversary of the great scientist Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy is being celebrated throughout the state and the country throughout the state and the country throughout this year. He was not only an accomplished scientist but also a true humanitarian. He also encouraged others to become self-sufficient. He himself started a small-scale industry to inspire others. He also got himself involved in providing relief to helpless and distressed people. He also wrote some thoughtful books. He tried to engage himself for the benefit and welfare others.
Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy was born on the 2nd day of August in the year 1861 at the village named Raruli Katipara in the district named Khulna. After coming to Calcutta (Presently known as Kolkata) he was admitted to Hare School In 1879 he passed the Entrance Examination. Thereafter, he was admitted to the Metropolitan College. He was a truly brilliant student and got the Gilchrist Scholarship. After getting the scholarship he started for London. He got his B. Sc. Degree from the well known Edinburge university work on Chemistry. Later, he became to be known as a good scientist. He also got the D. Sc. title from the same university. He then started for Calcutta (Presently known as Kolkata).
After returning to Kolkata he started his career as a professor at the Presidency College. He also began his research here. He in fact started true research in Chemistry in our country. After strenuous research he invented Mercurous Nitrate. Accordingly, he became well-known as a great scientist. He also enriched Chemistry in many other manners. He (Later) became the Principal of Science College in 1913. He continued Ws research work there.
He also encouraged entrepreneurship. He always inspired others to start small scale industries and cottage industries. He himself got established the well-known, ‘Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works’. He wanted the Bengali people to become self-sufficient and hated slavery. He felt that the Bengalees must be strong-willed, confident and enthusiastic, so that they could become free not only the fetters of British rule but also from the shockless of unemployment. Thus the country would also get truly progressed and developed.
He also wrote some books. Some of his books are ‘History of Hindu Chemistry’, ‘Banglar Anna-Samasya’ and Ayurveder Prachinate’ etc. This books contained thoughtful essays. It is evident that he studied other subject besides Chemistry and had profound knowledge about the society, Economics and the people. He also felt for the sufferings of the impoverished people. He thought about the problems of starvation. He tried to find out the solution to eradicate starvation from the country.
He always wanted to help the helpless people. He established a ‘Relief Society’ to support the victims of famine and flood of North Bengal. So those people were immensely benefited. He inspired others also to help others. He thought that everyone should be kind for true progress. He wanted others to become useful to the society.
This great scientist breathed his last in the year 1944. He was a science on the society and human being. He made it clear how science could be used for the benefit of science could be used for the benefit of helpless people. It’s due to him that proper research work in Chemistry started in this country. But his research work was intended for the welfare of the society. Therefore, his contribution to in the field of science and towards the humanity is immense.
We should try to follow his ideals in our everyday lives. We need to realize his ideas and endeavor to the true to his thoughts and humanitarian nature and mind. Then the celebration and observance of the 150th birth anniversary of Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy will become truly meaningful, significant, successful and purposeful. So, we all must realize this.
