Bibha Chowdhuri

Bibha Chowdhari is an undivulged name for most of us.Her life was really inspiring for women born in that era.She chose a research career in physics more than a hundred years ago made significant contributions on contemporary research subjects while working at various prestigious institutes of India and abroad.

Early Life

She hailed from an educated zamindar family in the Hooghly district of undivided Bengal and because of their Brahmo lineage,none of her siblings married.Bibha Chawdhuri had conferred on her school education at Bethune School in Kolkata,the first women college of India.

In Scottish Church College,the first overseas missionary of the church of Scotland to India,She obtained her BSc degree with honors in physics.Alumni of this college includes the likes of Swamj Vivekananda and Netaji's Subhas Chandra Bose.In 1936, she studied physics at the Rajabazar Science Of Collegeof Calcutta university and was the only student to complete a MSc degree.After procuring her MSc degree she joined Calcutta university to do research in physics under the guidance of Debendra M. Bose who was then Palit professor of India.Dr. Bose was reluctant despite the family connection,he did not think he had projects suitable to be assigned to a woman.Dr.Bose later convinced and allowed her to join.When he moved from University of Calcutta to Bose InstituteShe obtained her Ph.D. degree in 1952.

She made a remarkable contribution towards the discovery of mesons using photographic plates while in Bose Institute and published three papers consecutively in  Nature. Together,they experimentally observed munos and published on cosmic rays.

Her Research

She was selected as a first women researcher by Homi J. Bhabha to join the newly established TIFR in 1949.Her research contributions are well recorded and have been critically examined by the authors,not much material could be unearthed on her life.She and her connubial relationship with physics led a quiet,modest and dignified life largely within the confines of laboratory.

Her research was into extensive air showers. When a high energy cosmic particle collides with a nucleus from earth's atmosphere,it causes a shower of subatomic particles.Her research in the fields of high energy and cosmic ray physics has been extensively reviewed and rated as 'superb' by authors, her life,barren of any major recognition,raises many important questions,especially in the context of barriers women face even today, while pursuing STEM.

The women could have won a nobel

After acquired her MSc in 1936,where she was the only woman in the batch,Bibha joined the Bose institute and plunged into the world of research.But it wasn't an easy journey.Even though she had jointly published three consecutive papers 'mesons' with D.M.Bose,the latter initially wasn't too keen about accepting a women researcher. Unfortunately,their discovery of mesons could not be followed up through further investigation owing to "non-availability of more sensitive emulsion plates during the war years."Seven years later,CF Powell,an English Physicist,made the discovery using the same method and was awarded the Nob for the same.He even conceded the duo for their pioneering contribution to his research.

Return to india and continuation of research activity

On her return,she joined TIFR,after that she joined PRL at ahmedabad.She was involved  enormously with the Kolar Gold Mine experiment and discussed with Vikram Sarabhai,then director of PRL,about her future plans with Vikram Sarabhai,who was the director of PRL at the time.Sadly,she could not continue her research at their due gender biased culture.She also worked as an active researcher with the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics and the Indian Association for the cultivation of Science.Bibha opted for discretionary retirement and headed to Kolkata,where she worked on high energy physics.

Named star

Before the competition on the naming of a star began in July 2019,and in 2018 two authors wrote on Bibha Chaowfhari based on the book " the jewel unearthed:Bibha Chowdhari. "

The winner was a 22 year old student, Ananyo Bhattacharya,of Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute Of Technology in surat,who proposed the name 'Bibha'.Exoplanet was named 'Santamasa' by a 13 year old Vidyasagar Daud,of SinghadSpring Dale Public School in Pune.

The most fascinating and practical exmaple is the promise of present Indian government to establish 11 chair  professorships after renowed Indian female scientists.Indian Government has taken wise decision to establish a Physics Chair named after Bibha Chowdhari.