Homi Bhabha — a legend lives on

He enunciated a three-stage nuclear programme to meet the energy security of the nation

Exemplary: He was a multifaceted personality — scientist, visionary and institution builder.

Homi Jehangir Bhabha was a multifaceted personality — scientist, visionary and institution builder. He was born on October 30, 1909 in an illustrious family with a long tradition of learning and service to the country.
His father was Jehangir Hormusji Bhabha, a well known lawyer and mother was Meheren. Bhabha was exposed to fine arts, music and painting, which moulded his artistic traits.
Bhabha was an intelligent, hard working and sincere student. After finishing schooling, Bhabha’s parents sent him to Cambridge University, U.K. for higher education in mechanical engineering.

Burning desire
They had dreams of Bhabha becoming a successful engineer but, in 1928 he wrote to his father “…I seriously say to you that business or a job as an engineer is not the thing for me… I am burning with a desire to do physics... I earnestly implore you to let me do physics…”
In response, his father assured him support for further studies in theoretical physics, provided he completed his mechanical engineering.
In 1930, Bhabha completed mechanical engineering in first class and his father supported extended stay for the degree in physics. This is an example of the respect Bhabha had for his parents to pursue what they wanted him to do but, not compromising on his passion for physics.
After completing his degree in 1932, Bhabha continued his research at Cambridge University. His first paper appeared in 1934, based on theoretical explanation of shower production in cosmic rays.

Bhabha scattering
His name is associated with Bhabha scattering, which involves relativistic exchange scattering of electrons and Bhabha-Heitler theory, dealing with production of electron and positron showers in cosmic rays.
Thus, it was no surprise that at an young age of 31, he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society, London. Bhabha rubbed shoulders with great physicists like Bohr, Pauli, Dirac, Cockcroft and others, who later became Nobel Laureates.
This period was crucial for Bhabha for capacity building and leadership qualities.
Bhabha was on vacation during 1939, when the Second World War broke out and he could not go back abroad to continue his research. He then joined the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, as a Reader in the Department of Physics, headed by Sir C. V. Raman and set up a cosmic ray research unit.
Raman had great admiration for Bhabha and at the Nagpur Indian Academy meeting in 1941, while introducing Bhabha, said “… Bhabha is a great lover of music, a gifted artiste, a brilliant engineer and an outstanding scientist… He is the modern equivalent of Leonardo da Vinci…”
It was from Bangalore in 1944, Bhabha wrote his historical letter to the Tata Trust for support in setting up a centre for research work in nuclear science, which could play a central role in the development of nuclear energy.
This was just two years after 1942, when the first experimental demonstration of a nuclear reactor was made in the U.S.
All the more so, the country was still under the British rule and industrially undeveloped. There was a clear similarity in vision between the great Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata and Bhabha with respect to the need for education, scientific research and human resource development for economic prosperity.
Based on this letter, the Tata Trust supported him in setting up a laboratory at Kenilworth, Bombay.

TIFR founded
Subsequently, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research was founded and large scale research in physics, chemistry, electronics and mathematics commenced.
Thus, Bhabha had converted the difficulty of not going back abroad to a great opportunity of setting up of front ranking research facilities within the country.
Bhabha was instrumental in the formation of the Atomic Energy Commission in 1948 and the Department of Atomic Energy in 1954 and he chalked out a focussed research and minerals exploration programmes for nuclear energy.

Way back in 1950s
He was such a visionary that he had realized the importance of a nuclear power programme way back in the 1950s, and enunciated a three-stage nuclear programme to meet the energy security of the nation.
It consisted of utilization of natural uranium, plutonium and abundant thorium resources in thermal, fast and advanced nuclear reactors with closed fuel cycle.
He also had a balanced perspective on the role of other energy resources such as coal, oil and solar.
A significant factor that contributed for the growth of nuclear sciences and its applications was Bhabha’s rapport with the then Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who reposed complete confidence in him.

Great synergy
This was possible because Bhabha had the deserving credentials and his passion matched that of Nehru’s vision for a modern India.
There was a great synergy in thinking between Nehru and Bhabha with respect to industrialization and scientific research, evolving hand-in-hand.
Bhabha gave utmost importance to the development of quality human resources. The commencement and continuation of BARC Training School for the scientific manpower over the last 50 years is a real tribute to Bhabha’s foresight on quality manpower.
Bhabha, a person of perfection, purpose and excellence, ensured these qualities in all his endeavours viz., research, management, buildings and environment.
His total conviction, never-accepting mediocrity, never compromising on excellence, meeting the challenges head-on with confidence made him a unique personality.
Bhabha was a great scientific manager and followed the mantra of ‘the right man for the right job.’

Many awards
Bhabha received many prestigious national and international awards and recognitions. In 1954, he was conferred the Padma Bhushan for outstanding contributions to nuclear science. In 1955, he was elected the President of the first International Conference on the ‘Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy’, organized by the U.N. at Geneva.
At a young age of 56, Bhabha suddenly passed away in 1966 due to a plane crash in Switzerland.
A vibrant and robust organization, that he had left behind with many signal achievements in nuclear science and technology as well as a dedicated and talented pool of human resources, bears testimony to the visionary zeal of Bhabha.
His life was an example for all of us, which stood for ‘deserve, desire and demonstrate.’
BALDEV RAJ
& G. AMARENDRA
IGCAR, Kalpakkam
Tamil Nadu

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