Arun Kumar Sharma

LIVING LEGENDS IN INDIAN SCIENCE Arun Kumar Sharma Umesh C. Lavania Arun Kumar Sharma (AKS), a celebrated on a land donated to him by his father’s his maternal uncle, a lawyer. He grew up plant scientist of our country, is an inter- maternal uncle Mahamahopadhyay Gana- in a large joint family, loved by many of nationally acclaimed cytogeneticist and nath Sen. Construction was stopped due his grandma’s relatives. His maternal un- cytotaxonomist. He attained scientific to the untimely death of his father and cle took care of his education. He had his expertise researching throughout in India financial problems. Arun was then taken early education at Mitra Institution (1933– without going abroad for any formal to his maternal grandparents’ home by 39). Arun could not join the Presidency training. However, he has delivered lectures at various scientific venues throughout the world and has attracted scholars from far and wide. His dedication to duty and sense of detachment are strongly influenced by his long association with the Ramakrishna Mission. Besides his own research activities on various domains of plant science, he has significantly contributed to the policy, planning and for- mulation of scientific and technical programmes for the growth of science in India in general. AKS has had exceptional courage and conviction at the young age of 33 to start an international journal of cytology and allied topics The Nucleus (1958). He authored (jointly with Archana Sharma) the classic reference book Chromosome AKS in his office in Calcutta University, 27 December 2011 (photograph: Y. Mukai). Techniques: Theory and Practice (But- terworth & Co. Ltd, London, 1965). The book has been extensively used throughout the world. It went into 2nd and 3rd editions in 1972 and 1980. The Nucleus currently running in its 57th year is published by Springer. These two most in- fluencing contributions of AKS became possible by the intellectual and persever- ant support of Archana Sharma (AS). Archana had her education in Rajasthan and joined Calcutta University as an M Sc student. Her work as a doctoral student was supervized by AKS. She became his life’s companion later. The Sharmas (AKS and AS) have been among the most distinguished scientific couple in Indian science. Both independ- ently received the coveted S.S. Bhat- nagar Prize, adored the office of the General President of the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), and both were recipients of the civilian national award Padmabhushan, conferred by the President of India. Arun was born on 31 December 1924 in Calcutta to Charu Chandra Sharma Members of the Editorial Advisory Board of The Nucleus at the residence of Askel Löve and Shovamoyee. He lost his father at in Montreal on 25 August 1958 during The International Congress of Genetics. the tender age of 8, when his father was Left to right – front row B. P. Kaufmann, A. K. S., J. H. Taylor, standing – H. P. Riley, engaged in building a home for the family, H. Kihara, A. Löve (photograph: M. S. Cheennaveeraiah). 522 CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 107, NO. 3, 10 AUGUST 2014 LIVING LEGENDS IN INDIAN SCIENCE College in Calcutta as the family lived in Professional career Tissue Culture facility in the Depart- Bhabanipur and travelling by bus would ment. He enjoyed the support and admi- have been a luxury. He obtained admis- Starting his professional career as Assis- ration at the national level from B. P. sion in Asutosh College close to his tant Lecturer in the Department of Botany, Pal, M. G. K. Menon, B. M. Johri, R. P. house in 1939 and studied there till 1941. AKS rose to the positions of Lecturer and Roy, G. K. Manna, C. V. Subramanian, He obtained B Sc in 1943 with ‘half free Reader, and was appointed Sir Rashbe- H. Y. Mohan Ram, S. S. Bir, T. N. Kho- scholarship’, M Sc in 1945 and D Sc in hari Ghosh Professor and Head of the shoo, A. K. Koul, Manju Sharma and Asis 1955 from the University of Calcutta. Department of Botany at the University Datta, and numerous botanists, biologists After obtaining M Sc degree in Botany, of Calcutta (1969–1980). He continued and agricultural scientists of India. AKS appeared for Union Public Service as Ghosh Professor until 1988. He initi- Commission (UPSC) examination and ated studies on chromosome research and Significant research contributions qualified for selection. It was providen- built an active school of cytogenetics and tial that K. P. Biswas, Superintendent of cytochemistry to conduct research on a AKS nurtured the Department of Botany the Royal Botanical Gardens, Howrah, wide range of problems of plant and hu- at the University of Calcutta with its sev- working for the Botanical Survey of In- man genetics. He mentored more than 80 eral disciplines, and also as one of the dia (BSI) was looking for bright scholars Ph D and 10 D Sc scholars. Prof. L.F. finest centres of research in cell and to develop the herbarium and the garden. Randolf of the University of Cornell re- chromosome research – the only such He picked up five persons who had quali- ferred his laboratory as the largest chro- centre of chromosome research in India. fied in the UPSC examination. Young mosome family in the world. Prof. J.B.S. The University Grants Commission es- AKS was one of them. In those days the Haldane had admiration to both AKS and tablished the Centre of Advanced Study Botanical Survey was run by the British. AS and often visited his laboratory during (CAS) in the Department in recognition They needed able botanists to be trained his stay at Calcutta. He authored more of the high quality of research output. for building up the BSI. AKS was trained than 500 research papers, including 6 in CAS is now running in the sixth phase. in field taxonomy during collection trips Nature, several papers in Chromosoma, On a personal note, I would like to state to high altitude regions. He had already Naturwissenschaften, Theoretical and that I joined the research group of AKS worked for M Sc thesis under the super- Applied Genetics, and a host of well- in 1976 as a UGC Teacher Fellow when vision of P. N. Bhaduri in cytology and known and specialized journals. He has the activities of CAS were at its pinnacle had nurtured love for plant chromosome authored/edited several reference books/ and the Centre had attracted research research. Even though he worked at BSI, special issues of the journals (see Box 1), workers from all over India. Striving for he used to visit the University College of contributed invited reviews/articles to excellence, the Centre organized several Science in the evenings to continue cyto- Botanical Review, Chromosomes Today, international conferences, seminars, col- logical work. After Bhaduri left Calcutta The Cell Nucleus, International Review loquia and special lectures, attracting ex- to join the Indian Agricultural Research of Cytology, Encyclopedia of Microtech- perts in chromosome research from US, Institute in New Delhi, AKS continued niques, Biology International and others. Canada, Latin America, Japan, Australia as temporary teacher under P. C. Sarba- In addition to being the Chief Editor of and Europe. Several fellows of the Royal dhikari. His own experience and practice the journal The Nucleus, he has served Society of London have interacted with of working as a temporary teacher re- on the editorial boards of several jour- researchers at CAS. Over the years, re- mained in his mind even after attaining nals: Cytologia, Proceedings of the search by AKS group was principally national stature and heavy professional Indian National Science Academy, Jour- oriented towards: (i) advancement in commitments. He extended similar op- nal of Cytology and Genetics and Indian methodology for the study of chemical portunities to many of his Ph D students Journal of Experimental Biology. In rec- and physical nature of chromosomes, (ii) who used to work till late in the evening ognition of his outstanding research chromosomes in evolution and plasticity hours, after attending to teaching jobs in work, AKS was awarded the Jawaharlal in their behaviour, (iii) establishment of Calcutta during the day. He was strongly Nehru Fellowship by the Jawaharlal a new concept of speciation in asexual influenced by S. P. Agharkar, whom Sir Nehru Foundation (1972–76) and the organisms for the origin of new geno- Asutosh Mookerjee had invited to Cal- National Lectureship by UGC. The types, (iv) chromosomes in taxonomy, cutta in the formative years of the Calcutta Indian National Science Academy (v) chromosomes in differentiation, (vi) University. After completing his training (INSA) awarded him the Golden Jubilee chromosomes as affected by physical and at BSI and having published monographs Research Professorship from 1985 to 1990 chemical agents, their functional mecha- on the taxonomy of Sargasum (a seaweed at the University of Calcutta. nisms and economic potentialities, and of the Phaeophyceae/brown algae) and A. K. Sharma’s virtues are his simplic- (vii) chromosome dynamism. Sphagnum (a moss plant that occurs in ity and affability, dedication to work and Several techniques developed by AKS wet and boggy areas), AKS left BSI and total lack of ego. His strongest source of and his group are widely used in the joined the Department of Botany of Cal- inspiration, love, attachment and enormous laboratories of cytogenetics and cyto- cutta University as a full time temporary assistance came from Archana Sharma chemistry for the study of physical and teacher in 1947, and then confirmed as a and senior associates such as Sumitra chemical nature of chromosomes and full time Assistant Lecturer in 1948 with a Sen and Gita Talukder. AKS has been clarification of finer details of structure, meagre salary of Rs 150.

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