Kuverji Gosaiji Naik (1885-1 974)
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KUVERJI GOSAIJI NAIK (1885-1 974) Foundation Fellow 1935 KUVERJIGOSAUI NAIK was born on August 1, 1885 at Katargam, Surat District in Gujarat State. He was the elder son of Shri Gosaiji Bhagwanji Naik and Jamanaben Naik. His father was Anavil brahmin and was farmer by profession. He was also influenced by his uncle Shri Niochabhai Naik in his young age. His younger brother, Shri Manibhai Naik was practicing as a doctor in Katargam village. He had his primary education in the village of Katargam. He studied in I.P. Mission School, Surat for his secondary education. He used to walk from Katargam to Surat for attending the school. This he had to do because of poor financial condition of his father. Even under these circumstances, he worked hard for his studies and stood within first ten in the Matriculation examination of University of Bombay. He passed this examination in the year 1901. Inspite of adverse financial conditions, he joined Wilson College, Born bay for further studies. He could do this only because he was admitted to Gokuldas Tejpal Boarding House with nominal fees. Here he established his brilliant career. He passed B.A. examination of University of Bombay in first class in the year 1905 and stood first in science subjects. He was awarded 'Narayan Vasudev Science Scholar- ship' and also the 'University Daxina Fellowship'. He passed B.Sc. examination of the same University in the year 1 907, standing first in University of Bombay with Geology and Chemistry. He passed M.A. degree examination in 1908 in first class taking Chemistry, History and Sanskrit as his subjects. Thus he acquired a broad based education rather than narrow specialisation in one subject only. He joined Wilson College, Bombay as a lecturer in the year 1908 and taught Chemistry, Geology and Indian History. After a lapse of time, he joined Krishinath College, Berhampur (West Bengal) as Professor of Chemistry. The college was asliated to Calcutta University. Late Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, then VicaChancell Biographical Memoirs of Calcutta University visited the college and he was impressed by the knowledge and teaching of Dr. Naik and invited him to join as Junior Professor of Chemistry at College of Science and Technology, Here he came in touch with the great scientist, Sir P.C. Ray who inculcated the spirit of research in him. This became the turning point in the life of Dr. Naik. He then moved to Baroda college as Professor of Chemistry. In the year 19 19, he became recipient of Sir Mangaldas Nathubhai Fellowship and went to London to carry out research under slipervision of Professor J.F. Thorpe ct Imperial College of Science and Technology. Here he worked inde- pendently for two years and submitted a thesis entitled, "The interaction of sulphur /(I monochloride with substances containing Reactive Methylene Group or Substituted Methylene Group.'' He was awarded the coveted D.Sc. degree qf London University in the fear 192 1 on this thesis. He also gave an admirable account of research work done by him, in Applied Chemistry for the advancement of "The Gold and Silver thread industry of India" before a special meeting of Fellows qf Royal Institute . of chemistry bondon), which decided to elect him as a Fellow ,of Royal Institute of Chemistry" (F. R.I.C.), in 192 1. ~k returned to India after working in the Resear=h Laboratories of Badischa Anilin Soda Factory A.G. in Germaqy. On his return from England, he joined BarodaI College- as Professox of Chemistry and Head, Chemistry Department. He was also holding thk charge of Industrial Chemist to Government of Baroga from, . 1924. Later he became the Principal of Baroda College and retired from the Baroda Govern~pentservice in the year 1944. He then joined Gajjar Laboratories at Bombay for a short period. He was invited by Late Shri Kasturbhai Lalbhai, President of Gujarat Education Society to join as Principal of L.D. Arts and M.G. Science Institute at Ahmedab~d. He joined it in the year 1946 and continued till 1950. He then gave his services as Rector to newly founded Gujarat University from 1950 to 1952. After the expiry of the term as Rector, he joined as Principal at S and . Science College, Nadiad where he worked upto 1958. He joined as Principal of N.K.M.College of Science, Valsad in the same year and retired in the year 1969 at the ripe age of 84 years. Thus he served for the cause of education %r more than sixty years. Dr. Naik's interest for research developed when he came in contact with. late Sit P.C. Ray at Calcutta in the year 19 17. This became the base for his research which he carried out at Imperial Collega of Science and Technology, London. He carried out research work independently on the interaction of sulphur monochloride with substances coqtaining react ivp methylene group. Amides like acetamid0 benzamide etc. gave monosulphides when reacted with sulphur monochloride. Kuverji Gosaiji Na ik 145 but when above reaction is carried out with malonanilide, it gave disulphide, sulphur being linked to carbon of reactive methylene group. This observation led to the investigation of reactivity of sulphur monochloride on sub- stances containing reactive methylene group such as -CO-CH2-CO-, NC-CH2- CO-, etc. Reactions of S2Cl2 with malonic and cyanacetic ester and their mono sodium salt gave products which were devoid of sulphur and were found to have con- densed systems, probably the react ion proceeded through the intermediate sul phide. HsCz00C HsC200C, / / COOC2Hs \CHS + sz c12 -, ;CH-S-CH~ -CH H~C~OOC' HsCzOOC ' I! \ \COOC~H~ S HsC200C8, / COOCzH5 CH2-CH\ HsCzOOC ' COOCzHs HsC200C\ COOCzHs HsCzOOC\ -+ ,c- c( /c=c HsCzOOC - COOCzHs HsCzOOC After returning from England, he established a scho~lof research at Baroda College. Here a detailed study of the Chemistry of reactive methylene group was carried out. It was at Baroda College that the study for M.Sc. degree by research was started by Dr. Naik in the year 1923. The Maharaja Sayajirao Gaikwad gave him the funds for the same. Many students obtained M.Sc. degree by research under his super- vision on the above subject. Baroda College also became the first institution in University of Bombay for the study of the Ph.D. degree. At that time the jurisdic- tion of Bombay University was from Karanchi to Hyderabad. Dr. C.M. Mehta was the first Ph.D. from Baroda College in the year 1936. The above study of the reactive methylene group was extented to the action of sulphur dichloride, sulphuryl chloride, chlorosulphonic acid, thionyl chloride, selenium tetrachloride, iodine mono- chloride, selenium oxychloride, nitrosyl chloride etc. and different interesting com- pounds were obtained. The study of mercuration of reactive methylene compounds and coumarins using mercuric ohloride, mercuric acetate and mercury acetamide was also carried out. A study of the reactivity of halogen derivatives of substituted amides of maIonic acid with phenyl hydrazine. Atoxyl (sodium-p-aminophenyl arsenic acid), Grignard reagent and their reduction was also carried out in details. He established an international collaboration with Mme. Ramart-Lucas of Universi Biographical Memoirs of Sorbonne, Paris, France, for the study of Ultraviolet absorption spectra of amides of malonic acid, aceto acetic acid and cyanacetic acid. This was a unique collaboration existing in those days and a few joint research publications have come out from this collaboration. A study on the course of Pechmann condensation using ally1 aceto- acetic ester was studied and the use of phosphorus oxychloride as a condensing agent for Pechmann reaction was also explored in collaboration with Dr. R.D. Desai. Dr. Naik worked as an Industrial Chemist to the Government of Baroda from 1924 to 1944. He also contributed for the starting and development of Alembic Chemical Works at Baroda. He was deputed by the Government of Baroda to visit different industries in Europe and America in the year 1937 to get into the closer touch with industrial research being carried out in these countries. He visited I.G. Farben Industries, Baeyer and Co. etc. in Germany; Imperial Chemical Industries and 15 other industries in England. He visited many industries and universities in Moscow, Leningrad, Kharkov etc. in U.S.S.R. This was a secret visit and later on he wrote a book 'Russia as I saw it' in the year 1958. He visited Italy, Austria, France and Switzerland also. He went to America and visited many universities and Industries also. He gave lectures at twelve different universities in America. On the basis of this industrial tour, he delivered a popular lecture on, "At the Threshold of Indus- trialisation" before the Indian Science Congress Association on 4t h January, 1939. He also delivered the 5th P.C. Ray lecture on 'Planning of Scientific Research for Industrialisation in National Reconstruction' on August 2, 1952 at Calcutta. These two lectures clearly reveal about the study which he made during the above visit and how industries in India can be started and put on firm basis. Apart from being Principal of four different colleges in Gujarat, Dr. Naik worked on the important academic pcsitions in university of Bombay and Gujarat University. He was elected as Fellow of University of Bombay in the year 1924 and held this position till 1950. He was member of the Board of Studies in Chemistry and also in Chemical Technology of Bombay University. He also worked as Dean, Faculty of Science, Member of Syndicate and Academic Council and played an important role in starting the University Department of Chemical Technology which is now consi- dered as a premier Technological Institute in India.