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FEATURE ARTICLE Asima Chatterjee First Woman DSc of India A Tribute on her DHRUBAJYOTI CHATTOPADHYAY Birth Centenary HERE was a time when social and cultural taboos kept away Twomen from scientifi c research; it was traditionally preserved for men for a long period throughout the world. Only a few women could manage to establish themselves due to their strong will and passion for science. Asima Chatterjee was one of such woman scientist of India. She was the first woman to be awarded the Doctorate of Science (DSc) degree by an Indian University; fi rst woman scientist to occupy a Chair in Calcutta university, fi rst woman General President of the Indian Science Congress and also fi rst woman awarded the Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar award in Science. Her research career spanned over six decades. Her major interest was in the chemistry of natural products from Indian Medicinal Plants. Born on 23 September 1917 in Kolkata, West Bengal, since her childhood Asima Chatterjee was interested in medicinal fl ora and the use of these medicinal plants to treat Asima was a meritorious student. of Calcutta – Nawab Latiff and Father diseases. She felt the urge to introduce After passing her Matriculation Lafnot – along with the Hemprova Bose it in modern medical system and Examination in 1932 she secured the Memorial Medal. devoted her life to separate the chemical Bengal Government Scholarship. In She eagerly wanted to get admission components of plants and other living 1934, she passed the ISc Examination to chemistry honours to explore the organisms, including those of marine from the Bethune College and again science behind Indian traditional sources, followed by elucidation of obtained the Bengal Government medicinal plants but at that time there their molecular structure, which was Scholarship. This time she also obtained was no such college in Kolkata where painstaking work at that time. two more Scholarships of the University female students could study Chemistry 48 SCIENCE REPORTER October 2017 Honours except the Scottish Church ...the fi rst woman to be College. But the Scottish Church was a co-education institution and being awarded the Doctorate of member of an orthodox, joint Hindu Science (DSc) degree by family, severe objections were raised an Indian University; fi rst by the elders to her joining the college. woman scientist to occupy a It was the courage and sheer determination of her mother that enabled Chair in Calcutta university, Asima to get admission there. She was fi rst woman General the only woman student out of three admitted in the Chemistry Department President of the Indian of Scottish Church College to complete Science Congress and also higher education. From there she fi rst woman awarded the graduated with honours in chemistry in 1936 and received the Basanti Das Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Gold Medal. award in Science. She was now eligible to get admission in the University of Calcutta and Coumarins conferred her with DSc Unable to bear this double tragedy, she for her post graduate studies in chemistry. degree. She was the fi rst lady to obtain had a massive heart attack while she was At that time doyens of Indian science the DSc degree of any Indian University. working at the University College of like Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray, In the same year, she was appointed as Science. She lingered between life and Professors Prafulla Chandra Mitter, Honorary Lecturer in the Department death for days together and took nearly Pulin Behari Sarkar, Jagendra Chandra of Chemistry, University of Calcutta. three months to recover. But mentally Bardhan and Dr Prafulla Kumar Bose, In 1945, Asima married Dr she had broken down completely. were associated with the chemistry Baradananda Chatterjee, a well-known But in 1968 she bounced back. When department of this university. physical chemist. He was highly open the Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical minded and constantly inspired his wife. Asima obtained her MSc degree Works Ltd. of Acharya P.C. Roy was In 1946, Asima got a chance to work in in 1938 with Organic Chemistry as a involved in a historic legal battle with USA for research work. In early 20th special paper as fi rst class second. She Hoechst Co. Ltd. over infringement of century it was almost impossible even to received the University of Calcutta silver a patent right involving a Sulphonamide dream that a young middle class Bengali medal and Jogmaya Devi Gold Medal. Derivative, Asima agreed to be the woman could pursue her interests, going principal witness for the Indian Company Now she started her research work under alone abroad with her infant. on condition that she would not accept the guidance of Prof. Prafulla Kumar any fees. Asima’s profound knowledge Bose, one of the pioneer natural product In USA, Asima first worked of Organic Chemistry, courage and chemists in India. Acharya Prafulla with L.M. Parks at the University conviction helped Bengal Chemical Chandra Ray created a special fellowship of Wisconsin on naturally occurring Pharmaceutical Works Ltd. win the legal for her out of his salary which he used glycosides and then with L. Zechmeister battle. In spite of her mental condition to donate to the University of Calcutta at the California Institute of Technology, she answered hundreds of questions every month. The amount was rupees Pasadena. At the California Institute of in Chemistry for days together in the seventy fi ve at that time. Technology her fi eld of work was on carotenoids and pro-vitamins. In 1949, Calcutta High Court. Had the company Asima devoted herself towards she went to the University of Zurich lost the case it would have to go into her research work and received the where she worked with the Nobel liquidation. Nagarjuna Prize and one gold medal from Laureate Paul Karrer on “biologically the University of Calcutta in 1940 for the active alkaloids”. Since then alkaloids Asima’s Career best piece of research work carried out in became her most favourite fi eld of work. the Department of Chemistry. In 1940, Asima Chatterjee did signifi cant work she joined Lady Brabourne College as on the chemistry of coumarins. Her the Founder-Head of the Department of A Tragic Year works to isolate coumarins started with Chemistry. She received the Premchand The year 1967 was a disastrous year for two most common herbal plants of our Roychand Studentship in 1942, and Professor Chatterjee. She lost her father country. One is wood apple popularly the Mouat Gold Medal. Finally, the who helped her to dream throughout his known as Bael. Its fruits and bark University of Calcutta in 1944 on the life. But more shocking was that within are effective against gastrointestinal merit of her research contributions on a period of four months she also lost disorders and the bactericidal properties Naturally Occurring Indole Alkaloids her husband who was her inspiration. are attributed to the essential oils present 49 SCIENCE REPORTER October 2017 She was also the Chief Editor of the six-volume and Siddha (under the Ministry of Health Treatise on Medicinal Plants, which described and Family Welfare), Government seven hundred medicinal plants and was of India and sold at a relatively low price. These two combination-drugs published by the CSIR-National are landmarks in developing "alternate Institute of Science lines of treatment" because they have no Communication side effects. and Information On the request of renowned Resources scientist Satyendra Nath Bose she (CSIR-NISCAIR). wrote Saral Madhyamik Rasayan, a text book on chemistry for secondary schools. Another important work of Dr. Chatterjee was Bharatiya Banashoudhi, a six-volume treatise on Indian medicinal plants. She was also the Chief Editor of the six-volume Treatise on Medicinal Plants, which described seven hundred medicinal plants and was published by the CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (CSIR-NISCAIR). Dr. Asima Chatterjee was very closely associated with the Indian Science Congress throughout her life. She was the General Secretary for a term of three years and then Treasurer for a term of another three years. Eventually she was elected its General President for three years (1974-75). She became the in it. Another one is labangalata another Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mr fi rst woman General President of this herbal plant used for treatment of Jyoti Basu, donated her about three and most prestigious scientifi c organization. different gastroenteritis problems. half acres of land in Salt Lake City, One would remember her eloquent She is best known for her research Kolkata. The Ministry of Health and address as the General President at nd work on alkaloids. Her most important Family Welfare, Government of India the 62 Session of the Indian Science development was vinca alkaloids, sanctioned a grant of rupees 4 crores Congress in Delhi. now used in cancer drugs, and the for her dream project. This unique Asima Chatterjee’s tireless efforts development of anti-convulsive and Centre-State collaboration gave birth to a were awarded with the Shanti Swarup anti-malarial drugs from plants. She Regional Research Institute (Ayurvedic). Bhatnagar Prize, Padma Bhusan and had worked for over four decades on It has now been upgraded to the Central other prestigious awards. Rauwolfi a alkaloids, which occupy an Research Institute (Ay), working under the direct administration of the Ministry Besides science, Asima was important position among alkaloids. She interested in vocal music since her isolated Rauwolscine, a central nervous of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India. Professor Chatterjee served here childhood. She received training in system stimulant, local anesthetic classical music, Dhrupad and Khayal, and aphrodisiac, from Rauwolfi a and as Honorary Principal Coordinator for many years. for over fourteen years and stood second successfully worked out its structure.

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