2017-10-30 Mon

A versatile genius, a dynamic leader of the scientific community, Dr Homi Jehangir Bhabha was born on October 30, 1909. Bhabha belonged to a wealthy Parsi family that was very influential to the west of the India.

He did his schooling in Bombay’s cathedral. After graduating from Elphinstone College and the Royal Institute of Science, Mumbai, he went to Cambridge for further studies. He earned his engineering degree in 1930.

Homi Jehangir Bhabha regarded as the Father of Indian Atomic Science helped lay the foundations for various premier scientific institutions in India such as Tata Institute of Fundamental research, Trombay Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and the Cosmic Ray Research unit at IISC.

He worked with Niels Bohr on the quantum theory. Besides, he also worked on the cascade theory of electron showers and on the identification of the meson. He served as the Indian Atomic Energy Commissions first chairman and had chaired the UN Conference held in Geneva on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy in 1955.

In 1954, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award in India, for his valuable contribution to science.

The Reserve Bank had issued Rs.10 & Rs100 denomination coins to commemorate the Birth Centenary of Homi Bhabha. The Coins were released at the International Conference on “Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy 2009” on 29 Sep 2009.

The obverse of the coins inscribed with the legend "Bharat Rupiye" in Devanagari on the left periphery and "Indian Rupee" in Roman is mentioned on the right periphery. The Lion Capital figures in the centre of both the coins together with the legend "Satyamev Jayate. The denomination ‘100’ and ‘10’ are on the bottom of each coin and reverse of the coin showing a portrait of Homi Bhabha, facing left with words in Devanagari and Roman.

India post has also issued a 400 Paisa (4 Rupee) definitive postage in honour of this great Scientist.