9. Bibha Chowdhury (1913 -1991)

 

 

Bibha Chowdhury was a well-known Indian energy scientist. Her subjects for  research  were atoms and cosmic rays. The star, formerly known as HD 86081, has been renamed Bibha by the International Astronomical Union.

 

Bibha was born in Kolkata. In 1913. Her father Banku Bihari Chaudhary was a doctor. Mother Urmila Devi was also the daughter of an active member of the Brahmo Samaj. Bibha was the third child in a family of four sisters and one brother. Many relatives of her family were active workers in the Brahmo Samaj.

 

Bibha obtained her M.Sc. degree in 1936 from the Rajabazar Science College of Calcutta University majoring in Physics. After graduation, she started working under Debendra Mohan Bose at the Bose Institute in 1939. Both of them also discovered the atomic particles known as Bosons. She also studied and published papers on cosmic rays. They studied what happens when cosmic rays fall from different heights onto certain plates coated with chemicals. But these studies could not be carried forward due to shortage of chemicals. Bibha then joined Manchester University for cosmic ray research under Prof. Patrick Blackett. Her  Ph.D. thesis, cosmic rays, cosmic rain in the air etc  were discussed in detail. It is unclear how Bibha's research benefited Blackett, who later won the Nobel Prize.

Professional life and research

The writer of the evening newspaper Manchester News discussed Chaudhuri's research topic in detail in an interview with her. “Why are there so few women scientists in Physics?” she opined. The paper introduced Chodhuri as "India's rising woman scientist – targeting cosmic rays".

After completing her PhD  Bibha returned to India. It was the time when Homi Bhabha was about to start the Tata institute. When he approached the thesis examiners of Bibha  about promising scientists of the future, they suggested the    name of Bibha Choudhary without any hesitation. That's how Bhabha appointed her there. She worked at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research for eight years. She joined the physical research laboratory there and was assigned to study some of the Kolar gold mines. In 1954, she worked as a visiting researcher at the University of Michigan. She then joined the Saha Institute of Nuclear Research in Kolkata. There she taught physics in French.

Bibha Chowdhury's life is chronicled in the book “A Gem Found – Bibha Chowdhury”. This book is also published in German. The Statesman newspaper described her as a 'forgotten great'. Bibha Chowdhury  continued to publish papers and articles until her death in 1991