SR 50(10) 19-23.Pdf

BIJU DHARMAPALAN RTICLE A

EATURE F

Man Who Changed the Outlook of Biological Sciences in India

Prof. Obaid was born on 7 January hardly understood anything. But I was 1932 to M.A. Qadeer Siddiqi and Umme excited because it was a formal science, Kulsum in Basti, Uttar Pradesh. He unlike simple botany, where most of your completed his post graduation in Botany time is spent learning nomenclature and HE man who worked on the from the prestigious Aligarh Muslim taxonomy.” Tfunctioning of the brain, ironically University (AMU) in 1953 and worked in died of a brain injury recently. Prof. the University from 1954-57. During the Obaid Siddiqui, the man who is regarded period he was attracted towards DNA as the father of modern biology in India, which was an emerging area of research will always be remembered for his stellar then. contributions. In an interview given years ago to A man for whom science was a veteran science communicator Matiur passion and the laboratory a temple of Rehman, he said, “In the 1950s there was pious research, a great scientific leader hardly any genetics being done in India. In who conquered different disciplines of 1953, the DNA structure was discovered biology and changed the face of modern and professors gave us lectures, but we biology in south Asia, and above all a great inspiring teacher who guided A caricature by Prof. Obaid’s student, Dr Sukant and mentored many youngsters is no Khurana, depicting Prof. Obaid’s achievements more. National Research Professor Dr. in science. It captures bacterial conjugation, DNA Obaid Siddiqi, the legendary scientist, gels to emphasize work on stop codon and many institution builder and scientific visionary gene loci, adult fruit fl y head to show his interest in passed away on 26 July 2013 at the age of chemosensation and one of our combined studies 81, a dedicated researcher till his last day on learning and memory in the form of 3 petri plates of life. with larvae on them (Courtesy: Sukant Khurana) 19 SCIENCE REPORTER, OCTOBER 2013 FEATURE ARTICLE

left: Prof. Obaid Siddiqi with his wife Asiya. Photo credit: Ms Diba Siddiqi (daughter of Prof. Obaid Siddiqi); Right: 1961 photo taken at University of Glasgow showing Obaid Siddiqui along with Jim Renwick (seated front right), Guido Pontecorvo (standing on the right behind Jim) and others.

Early Days passion in Obaid and asked him to start the University of Pennsylvania as his first He started his career as an agricultural the work immediately. postdoctoral fellow. During the period, scientist, working on plant embryology At Glasgow he started working on the duo discovered the suppressors first at Aligarh and then as a wheat microbial systems – a paradigm shift of “nonsense” mutations. This work geneticist at the Indian Agricultural from plant system. As a PhD student, stimulated research on conditional Research Institute, New Delhi. During his while exploring linear relationship mutations of bacteria and viruses and research programme at IARI he lost his between different allelic p-aminobenzoic- was directly important to the discovery of test bed of wheat cross-breeds, carefully acid-requiring mutants of the fungus “nonsense” codons, the stop signals in the nurtured over a year, to a hail storm in Aspergillus nidulans, he observed genetic code. This work formed the basis 1954. The loss of the crop turned out to be marked concentration of the mutational of the Nobel Prize winning work carried a turning point in his life. sites in a small part of the gene. Later, in out by Robert W. Holley, Har Gobind Khorana and Marshall W. Nirenberg. His passion in genetics made him collaboration with Alexandra Putrament, write a letter to Guido Pontecorvo, who worked briefly at Pontecarvo’s Khorana, Holley and Nirenberg Professor of Genetics at the University lab, Obaid discovered polarized personally acknowledged the role of of Glasgow asking for a position in his negative interference through intragenic Obaid’s study. Obaid did not take the lab. Noticing the interest and passion in recombination. His classic studies proved study to its logical end of finding other Obaid, Pontecorvo asked him to come to to be the first reports of fine mapping of a codons that got others a Nobel Prize. But Glasgow for a personal interview so that gene or cistron. he was now being recognized as a budding he could decide whether to admit Obaid After obtaining his PhD from the star in the field. Obaid’s philosophy was or not. As soon as he reached Glasgow, University of Glasgow in 1961 Obaid to do science for the benefit of all and he Pontecorvo understood the interest and joined the laboratory of Alan Garen at was always slow in publishing.

Prof Obaid Siddiqi with members of Benzer’s laboratory at Caltech, November 1971 (Photo credit: http://www.nature.com)

SCIENCE REPORTER, OCTOBER 2013 20 FEATURE ARTICLE

Prof. Obaid during the 50 year anniversary celebrations of Department of Biological Sciences, TIFR (Photo credit: TIFR) Starting a New Phase At TIFR, Obaid Although Obaid could have continued to established pursue a successful scientific career in the a small but United States, he was intent on returning strong bacterial to India, says Prof. Alan Garen. “Because genetics group. of his intention I was able to arrange for the renowned physicist and later Obaid continued molecular biologist Leo Szilard, who had his early work been a colleague of Homi Bhabha, to ask where he had Bhabha to provide Obaid with a position shown that and laboratory at the Tata Institute,” recombinant remembers Prof. Alan Garen who now bacteria inherit works at the Yale University. DNA of bi- When Homi Bhabha expressed parental origin. his interest to start a biology division at TIFR, Szilard recommended Obaid’s name to Homi Bhabha through a strongly to another, not preferring to become stories. Personally, I found it both worded letter. Visionaries don’t fail to stagnant in one area of research. He tried tremendously exciting and intimidating, identify right persons for the job, Bhabha to conquer new frontiers of research, and it took a while before it all fell into was no exception. Recognizing Obaid’s shifting from plants to microbes to place and I could take advantage of what potentiality Bhabha appointed Obaid to Drosophila. Obaid along with Seymor was truly a unique place….” start a molecular biology unit at TIFR, Benzer of Caltech identified different This group pioneered research amidst opposition from fellow scientists. neurophysiological phenotypes of three on the genetic basis of taste and smell That’s the confidence he had in Obaid. temperature-sensitive paralytic mutants in Drosophila, initiating a new field Thus, in 1962, a new face of biology comatose, para and sh, that exhibited of chemosensory neurogenetics. He started emerging in India. Obaid defects in the electrical activity of nerves explored details of sensory response, personally recruited staff members for and muscles. This discovery led to a sensory plasticity and trying to overcome his lab and initiated steps to bring back deeper understanding of the mechanistic the limitations of simple behavioral Indians working in various U.S. labs. This basis of neuronal function and heralded measures through detailed tracking of unit is the forerunner of the present day the dawn of the field of Behavioral animals. This research later triggered a Department of Biological Sciences in TIFR Genetics. spate of international research on how Mumbai. Siddiqi had become a popular figure genes affect sensory perception, learning At the Molecular Biology Unit at in TIFR within a short period. Great and memory. Prof. Alan feels that the TIFR, Obaid established a small but students like Kavita Arora and Late success in varied fields achieved by Obaid strong bacterial genetics group. Obaid Veronica Rodrigues joined his group. shows that India had nurtured Obaid along with his student, P. Vijay Sarathy, He initiated a wave of new academic well. continued his early work where he culture at TIFR, remembers Kavita Arora Obaid Siddiqi’s vision, creativity, had shown that recombinant bacteria who is now working as a professor in the and generosity have had a profound effect inherit DNA of bi-parental origin. Their Department of Developmental and Cell on the lives of many young scientists. “I work established the basics of bacterial Biology at University of California, Irvine, am privileged to have been among them,” conjugation and formed the founding “…… I owe my start in science to Obaid, remembers Prof. John R. Carlson at Yale principles of lateral gene transfer. whose lab I joined in 1980. A number of University. “It was Seymour Benzer This work provided insights into drug things stand out from my time at TIFR. who introduced us, under auspicious resistance and evolutionary biology. Intellectually it was an extremely rich circumstances, in the early 1980s, when environment – in large part due to the As Prof. John R. Carlson of I was a graduate student. Obaid kindly amazing group of scientists Obaid had Yale University says, “His life was that invited me to India, where he opened seeded at the Molecular Biology Unit. of a scholar with an overriding interest a new world for me. Obaid welcomed Another thing that set it apart from other in learning the principles that underlie me as a colleague and provided warm institutions was that the interactions his system.” Moreover, he set a sterling encouragement, writing: ‘…olfaction between students and faculty were not example by his courage and creativity badly needs some people like you and hierarchical. It was expected that people in forging new paths, by the elegance Drosophila seems as good to me as discussed science and ideas freely of his presentations, and by his devoted anything. I’ll greatly look forward to our and in a very open minded way, and attention to the overarching problems doing some things together’.” Obaid certainly led by example. It was that ultimately are most intriguing. Obaid’s behavior was that of a something most of us had not experienced gentleman. As Prof. C.N.R. Rao says, For Obaid, science was like a kinetic before, and this environment made for “Obaid was a gentle person with energy, trying to move from one area very dynamic exchanges and memorable 21 SCIENCE REPORTER, OCTOBER 2013 FEATURE ARTICLE

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS 1. Member, Royal Society, London (FRS) 2. Member , US Na onal Ac ademy of Sciences 3. Member , The W orld Ac ademy of Sciences, Trieste 4. Member, Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore (President 1986-89) 5. Member , Na onal Ac ademy of Sciences (India), Allahabad 6. Member , Mahar ashtra Ac ademy of Sciences 7. Padma Vibhushan (2006) 8. Padma Bhushan (1984) 9. Bhatnagar Prize (1976)

10. INSA Golden Jubilee Medal “His discourse was remarkable in its in Bangalore, I was the Director of Indian 11. Birla Samarak Kosh Na onal Award sophistication and its wisdom. He framed Institute of Science and he requested me intriguing problems, and outlined clever 12. Goyal Founda on Prize (1991) for some space at IISc. I could help him approaches to their solution. I took 34 with some laboratory space and other 13. Aryabha a Medal by INSA (1992) pages of notes, which I have kept to this facilities in the campus of the Indian day, and which I still find fascinating 14. Bhasin Founda on Prize Institute of Science.” almost 30 years later,” says Prof. Carlson. 15. Science Congress Plaque of Honours Apart from his interest in science According to Dr. Sukant Khurana of he was an established Sarod artist and 16. BC R oy Aw ard f or Biomedic al Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory whom an ardent lover of Hindustani music. Research Prof. Obaid mentored as a post graduate His interest in Urdu poetry took him 17. Firodia Award for Basic Sciences student at TIFR, “He belonged to a rare to assume the post of the Chancellor and now globally endangered breed of of the Maulana Azad National Urdu true passionate gentlemen scientists. idealism.” He was also a scholar with an University(MANUU) from 2005 to 2008. His contributions are many, but his overriding interest in learning the basic most personally dear achievements are principles. Moreover, he set a sterling An Inspiration two: preparing successive generations example by his courage and creativity Prof. Obaid Siddiqi’s life is an exemplary of scientists from South Asia and in his in forging new paths, by the elegance of example of how an ideal scientist should personal capacity humbly fighting for his presentations, and by his devoted be. He conquered different fields of progressive and enlightened values.” attention to the overarching problems that biological sciences. Trained in plant ultimately are most intriguing, remembers Even though Prof. Obaid had science he ended up as a renowned Prof. John R. Carlson. the choice to stay back in America, he neurobiologist, traversing through plant, preferred to come back to India as he microbial and drosophila genetics. He has strongly felt a commitment to give back Architect and Institution Builder left his strong imprint in whatever areas something to his nation. His lab was In 1992, he established the National he touched but was never carried away always open to any visitor, young or Centre for Biological Sciences as a Centre by the fancies of fame and seniority. He old, who was interested in learning and of TIFR, which promotes research in never engaged in personal publicity and he used to train his visitors personally, biology using molecular biology as a tool. his motto was just to do ones job quietly unlike present day scientists who depute Many stalwarts in Indian science like Prof. without worrying about the results. research scholars for the purpose and C.N.R. Rao helped him to fulfill his long He was an inspiring teacher to most times prevent visitors saying that it cherished dream. Remembers Prof. C.N.R. his students. He taught them how to would affect their work. Rao who held a long lasting friendship do great science, says Kavita Arora: Obaid believed that he could bring with Obaid: “…. As students, it shaped our world- societal change through such scientific “I had to play a role when he decided view and primed each of us with the sense training. He was one of the rare breeds to start NCBS in Bangalore. I was (for a that perhaps we could do more than we had of scientists who do bench work after short period) a member of the Planning thought ourselves capable of. He empowered attaining position and fame. Says Prof. Commission at that time and he wanted us…” This may be the reason why a Rohini Balakrishnan of the Indian me to include NCBS as part of that five- small institution in Navy Nagar could be Institute of Science whom he mentored: year plan. I had the pleasure of doing so. so influential and serve as a catalyst for “….He was always happiest delving into Similarly, when he wanted to start NCBS scientists and students all over India. the fine details of experiments and analyses SCIENCE REPORTER, OCTOBER 2013 22 FEATURE ARTICLE Extreme left: Being a dedicated and passionate Receiving Padma teacher, Obaid had the ability to identify Vibhushan from talent in his students and inspired President Dr. A.P.J them to utilize it to their fullest. His Abdul Kalam on 29 personal commitment to teaching and March 2006 training so many students on a one-to- (Photo credit: http:// one basis, while being a sought-out star, photodivision.gov.in) separated him from everyone else. He was passionate about getting youngsters Left: Prof. Obaid Siddiqui receiving started. Lifetime Achievement Even when his sights were set on Award 2009 under institution building and cutting edge the Excellence in research, he retained his passion for Science, Engineer- personally preparing the next crop of ing and Technology scientists. He believed that if he could get Awards scheme from a small number to become future scientists Prime Minister or even spread scientific thinking that Manmohan Singh would be his small contribution to the (Photo credit: http:// www.thehindu.com) society. Obaid saw his students as an extension of his ideas. He was like a and would spend hours explaining these to charm. He was deeply concerned about banyan tree extending his intellectual students who cared to take the time and effort societal issues including human rights. branches through the students he trained. to listen. Whereas most scientists after a One of his last initiatives was concerned Many students whom he certain point lose direct contact with the work with the rights of scientists and other mentored are working in many reputed bench and those who slog away there, Obaid intellectual workers.” institutions across the globe propagating worked at the bench to the very end. He never Prof. Obaid’s loss is a loss to the entire his vision and mission. He happily passed lost touch with the details of experiments scientific community sans any political on the mantle of NCBS to his own student and analyses and could therefore always boundaries. “It is difficult to reconcile and did not have any hierarchal issues as provide hands-on as well as first-hand input to Prof. Obaid Siddiqi’s passing away,” evidenced by his working contentedly on experiments simple and complex. He was remarks Prof. Vidyanand Nanjundiah of under the directorship of his own student happy to let others deviate and follow lines of the Indian Institute of Science. “The range Prof. VijayRaghavan. enquiry that differed from his own.” of his interests and the ways in which he Prof. VijayRaghavan who is currently Prof. Obaid always wished to touched others were so diverse that many working as Secretary, Department of mingle with the society; he never wanted people will miss him for many different Biotechnology, Govt. of India says he scientists to stay isolated from society. reasons. His integrity, the finesse with learnt some golden lessons from his When he saw the country going down which he analysed scientific questions teacher, “Obaid taught me that science is the road of religious fundamentalism – and the aesthetic sensibility he brought fun. And to enjoy it fully we must keep both of the majority and minority kind – to everything he said or did, were such the company of smart and lively people he took to activism. He vocally opposed that in being associated with him one felt and abjure pomposity. And always religious forces that introduced astrology uplifted.” question us and question authority.” as an official course in the University His vision, both scientific and Great scientists will never retire of Delhi, an institution supposed to be aesthetic, is truly embodied in the either from science or life, their ideas and a central university of a country still institution he conceptualized and created contributions will continue to reverberate secular in name, remembers Sukant at Bangalore, the National Centre for in scientific circles. Prof. Obaid Siddiqi is Khurana. He was always concerned with Biological Sciences. With its uniqueness one such man. issues affecting scientists and was in the the institution has attracted researchers forefront advocating the release of human from different parts of the world. Unlike rights activist Dr Binyak Sen when he was other centers where different disciplines (The author thanks Prof. Alan Garen, Prof. C.N.R. arrested. Prof. M. Vijayan of the Indian work in isolation, at NCBS every one Rao, Prof. M. Vijayan, Prof. Vidyanand Nanjundiah, Institute of Sciences who had a long works together under one umbrella. Prof. John R. Carlson, Prof. Rohini Balakrishanan, personal association with Prof. Obaid Students here work for the success of Prof. Kavita Arora, Dr. Sukant Khurana and Prof. corroborates this: realization of their passion. VijayRaghavan for their valuable comments “I have known Obaid well for decades One can find physics students received through email and Mr Mohammed Abu personally and as someone involved in working in ecology or biological science and Mr Matiur Rehman for providing photos) the organization of science in India. I have students working in mathematical worked with him in several committees. modeling. This may be one institution Mr. Biju Dharmapalan is Assistant Professor , He has been a man of great vision. He has where students are considered on School of Biosciences, MACFAST (Mar Athanasios been a total scientist but with a vision that par with their peers and questioning College for Advanced Studies), Tiruvalla, transcends science. Obaid was a splendid is always encouraged – the Obaid Kerala-689101. E-mail: [email protected]/biju_ human being. He personified grace and phenomenon! [email protected] 23 SCIENCE REPORTER, OCTOBER 2013