EXCELLENCE IN AN OVERLAPPING CULTURE ii Excellence In An Overlapping Culture EXCELLENCE IN AN OVERLAPPING CULTURE The Big History of India’s National Chemical Laboratory L. K. Doraiswamy Anson Marston Distinguished Professor of Engineering Emeritus Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA and Former Director, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India Council of Scientifi c and Industrial Research LONDON NEW YORK NEW DELHI First published 2011 in India by Routledge 912–915 Tolstoy House, 15–17 Tolstoy Marg, Connaught Place, New Delhi 110 001 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2011 National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR) This material is the property of the Director, National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR). It is not to be sold, repoduced or distributed without the prior written permission of the owner. Typeset by Star Compugraphics Private Limited D–156, Second Floor Sector 7, Noida 201 301 Printed and bound in India by All rights reserved. This material is the property of National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR), Pune. No part of this book may be reproduced, sold, distributed or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR), Pune. ISBN 978-81-89643-00-3 Dedication Indian science and technology as the country rapidly moves forward to global eminence. Council of Scientifi c and Industrial Research (CSIR), that ubiquitous stairway to technological dominance, for taking science in India from concept to commerce. And most particularly, my erstwhile colleagues at the National Chemical Laboratory, rewarded and unrewarded, sung and unsung, for their conduct and contributions, each “adding height to his/her own length,” and for providing that bimodal quality of ambience and accomplishment that has made the laboratory what it is: forever moving towards a constantly advancing horizon of excellence. vi Excellence In An Overlapping Culture A Babylonian tablet of the 3rd century BCE laments: The world is coming to an end. Children no longer obey their parents and every man wants to write a book! Notwithstanding this assessment of book writing 4-and-odd millennia ago, the present book is an attempt, however feeble, to draw attention to Paul Valeryse’s great challenge: I want this work to be written in a style of my own invention which will permit me to marvelously go and come from the bizarre to the every day,from fantasy to extreme rigor, from prose to verse, from the fl attest truth to ideals, the most — the most fragile ones. Paul Valeryse (see Quankin, 2004) CONTENTS Foreword xi Preface xiii Introduction: Stating the Context 1 Indian Research in Relation to the Most Outstanding Research in the World Do Muted Calls From Ancient Indian Science Resonate in Present Day Indian Science? What is the NCL’s Place in Modern Indian Science? What is Big History? PART I. The Roots of Excellence Introduction 15 1. Rising from Ground Zero 17 The Beginning of the Beginning 2. The Empire of Aristotelian Reason 50 The Prelude to the Beginning 3. From Big History to History 74 The Run Up to the Beginning PART II. Grasping the Future Introduction 121 4. Growing Healthy 123 Describing the Educational, Research, and Industrial Environment in which the NCL Evolved 5. Ring Out the Old — Within Reason, Ring In the New 150 A Modern Laboratory Arrives 6. Differing Approaches, Unbroken Leadership 197 The Role of Directors viii Excellence In An Overlapping Culture PART III. The Sinews of Excellence Introduction 245 7. A Rewarding Cultural Pluralism 247 Basic Research, Links With Academia 8. Refl ecting the Changing Face of Research 265 Research Areas Appendix 268 9. Walking Through What’s to Come 337 The World of Industrial Research PART IV. The Bridge to Industry Introduction 347 10. The Agony and the Ecstasy 349 Brush With Reality 11. Raising the Bar 390 On to State-of-the-Art 12. The New Wave 420 Adapting to Globalization PART V. The Compleat Laboratory Introduction 439 13. Technical Companion to Research 441 The Non-research Essentials of a Laboratory 14. Essential Technical Miscellany 460 What Keeps an Institution Going 15. Non-technical Miscellany 480 A City Within a City — A Disappearing Facility PART VI. This and That Introduction 497 16. Roses and Thorns, Shouts and Whispers 499 Personal Opinions, Interesting Anecdotes 17. Reminiscences 516 Memories Matter Contents ix 18: Where Dreams Collide With Reality 538 A Reverie Epilogue 558 Afterword 560 Notes 561 Bibliography 574 List of Abbreviations 582 Index 590 x Excellence In An Overlapping Culture FOREWORD Some of life’s most fulfi lling experiences are a result of chance encounters and casual conversations. This book certainly conforms to this kind. It was several years ago that I asked Dr L. K. Doraiswamy (LKD) whether he would be willing to undertake the writing of the “Story of National Chemical Laboratory (NCL).” I strongly believed that this was a story worth telling and that none other than LKD was the most appropriate storyteller. LKD spent all his life in the NCL, from its early days, and rose to occupy the position of the fi fth Director. He was personally acquainted with all the directors of the NCL. He was a keen observer, critic as well as an ardent and passionate supporter of NCL. He had an eye for excellence and a remarkable felicity with the English language. As a Director, he used to pen a letter at the beginning of every year to the staff of NCL. I often used to wonder whether the letter was a factual account of the laboratory in the year past or a piece of literature to be preserved for posterity. With his deep understanding of NCL, Indian science, technology and industry for over six decades, I felt that his perspectives of what NCL was, has been and could be, will be a compelling story and could become an important point of reference to the emergence of scientifi c institutions in post- independence India and their continuing quest for excellence. LKD agreed instantly to undertake this onerous task in spite of his advancing age and failing health. I am beholden to him for the passion and commitment with which he undertook this task. It took us some time to gather the many facts that his memory recalled; in several instances his memory reigned supreme and all our collective efforts could not trace the documents to support his recall. Yet this was an interesting journey. This project gave the NCL the excuse and opportunity to put its historical records in order and archive them into a digital format. We have often failed LKD in terms of speed and attention due to several other pre- occupations. I am particularly aware of my own failings in not promptly answering his innumerable e-mails seeking information and follow up on actions needed to complete this project. But for this, this book may have seen the light of the day sooner. The NCL has just completed 60 years of its glorious history and sustained excellence. It has nurtured some of the best minds of India and has continually transformed and reinvented itself to meet the new challenges at the turn of every decade. The organization has left a lasting imprint on the fabric of science and technology in India. LKD captures the magic of the NCL in beautifully crafted words. His understanding of the institution is perfect and his prescriptions for the future remarkably prescient. Every page of the book is a testimony to his love for the institution. He is objective, laudatory and critical at the same time. His words resonate with a rare clarity and help all of us to understand better our heritage, traditions and culture, strengths as well as weaknesses. The NCL is at a crossroads and in the cusp of change. The baton of leadership is progressively passing into the hands of a breed of young men and women who have xii Excellence In An Overlapping Culture little acquaintance with the glorious past of the NCL. I hope that this book will become a prized possession of every new scientist who joins the NCL and will enable him or her to appreciate the rich heritage that they are part of. I hope it will instill in them the need to nurture this heritage with care, embellish it with their own contributions and pass it on to the next generation. A Chinese proverb most appropriately captures the link between the past and the future and I quote: Know the past to know the present; refl ect on the future to change the present. I also earnestly hope that this book will become a part of the vast literature documenting the history, etiology and sociology of scientifi c institutions and will provide valuable lessons on how institutions such as the NCL can make the leap from good to great. Happy reading. Dr S. Sivaram Director, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India 1 April 2010 PREFACE If a little knowledge is dangerous, Where is the man who knows so much As to be out of danger? T. H. Huxley, 1886 Here is a book of which I can rightly say: I wish I had thought about it and entrusted the task to a distinguished writer. The credit for the initiative must go entirely to the present Director of the National Chemical Laboratory, S. Sivaram. As to his choice of writer (who accepted the invitation with alacrity), judgment must be reserved. To me it has been a re-visitation, with the wisdom of hindsight, uncolored (one hopes!) by the biases and weaknesses of association.