Research Journal of Recent Sciences ________________________________________________ ISSN 2277-2502 Vol. 1 (ISC-2011), 259-264 (2012) Res.J.Recent Sci. Dr. D. B. Limaye The Founder of Institutionalized Chemical Research in Western India Dhumatkar Abhidha Sathaye College, Mumbai, INDIA Available online at: www.isca.in (Received 16th September 2011, revised 11th January 2012, accepted 25th January 2012) Abstract The intelligence of human being, since the beginning of this world has resulted in the growth of science and technology. Science and technology have developed according to the interest and needs of humankind. They are having tremendous impact on human lives. Advances in DNA technology are being seen as significant, reliable, efficient and accurate tools for law enforcement agencies to fight crimes. DNA evidences are capable of proving guilt of accused or innocence of accused persons wrongly convicted. Forensic DNA Technology has transformed investigative methods of serious crimes due to its remarkable capability to convict wrongdoers or exonerate accused or convicted offenders. One of the most significant and great qualities of DNA evidence is its ability to solve cold cases. More importantly, DNA technology can quickly lead suspicion away by allowing samples of past crimes that were never solved to be reassessed. This can result in the arrest of suspect(s) years after the crime was committed. In essence, DNA evidence is rapidly becoming irrefutable proof of identification. The question whether DNA is advancing justice becomes relevant in cases where police, in their efforts, use DNA evidence to find suspects and solve crimes. Certainly, questions of justice weigh most heavily when the DNA samples of innocent person is taken, stored and analyzed and falls under the lens of suspicion. Therefore, this paper deals with the utility of DNA Technology in criminal investigation process. Advancement of DNA technology toward a vision of justice is a focal point of this research paper. Keywords: Forensic DNA technology, technology of justice, cold case, criminal investigation. Introduction obtaining the Balasaheb Mirajkar prize for securing the highest marks in the Bombay University1. As a follower of Dr. D.B. Limaye (1887-1971) institutionalized chemical Lokmanya Tilak (who was his distant relative), D.B.Limaye th research in Maharashtra in the early 20 century overcoming refused government jobs, including the offers of lecturer in pecuniary and social hurdles, and testified to the world chemistry by principal Sharp of Elphistone College, Dr. T. scientific community the potentials of an Indian chemist H. Wheeler, the head, chemistry department of the Royal through his landmark research in organic chemistry. He Institute of Science, Mumbai, (a leading centre of chemical made a path-breaking contribution to the evolution of organic research in 1920s), Bombay and job of soil analyst in the chemistry, researching with inadequate financial assistance, College of Agriculture Poona, under the principalship of Dr. in a laboratory ill equipped by modern standards. He Harold Mann. brought Poona on the map of scientific research and was one of the few scientists of pre-independence India, who left an In 1912, D. B. Limaye was employed as a research chemist indelible imprint on international science in the hey days of with the salary of Rs. 60/- per month, on the colonialism, without having a glimpse of western shores. recommendation of K.R. Kanitkar, Principal of Fergusson College, in the Ranade Industrial and Economic Institute, set The making of an organic chemist – Dr. D. B. Limaye born up in 1911 by honourable G.K. Gokhale in the memory of st on 31 July, 1887, in a Chitpavan Brahmin family at Justice M.G. Ranade to spread industrial and technical Manache in Devgad Taluka, Ratnagiri District Maharashtra, knowledge2. Dattatray Balkrishna Limaye completed his primary education at Havnur, Nasik and Prabhu Seminary, Mumbai, As an Industrial chemist and later as the Assistant Director where he passed Matriculation in 1905, ranking among the and Director of the Ranade Industrial and Economic Institute first 30. After initial few months in Elphinstone College from 1912 to 1940, Limaye conducted research in pure and Bombay, he shifted to Fergusson College, Poona in 1907. applied chemistry. Influenced by Mr. T. K. Gajjar of Baroda, D. B. Limaye, still a college student, started the Balakrishna Rasashala in 1908, Under a project of the Ranade Institute for chemical at Poona to produce chemicals. He passed B.A. with Physics investigation of natural products in the country, Limaye, in 1909, B.Sc. in 1910 and M.A. in Chemistry in 1911, guided by Dr. Harold Mann, researched the useful properties International Science Congress Association 259 Research Journal of Recent Sciences _____________________________________________________________ ISSN 2277-2502 Vol. 1 (ISC-2011), 259-264 (2012) Res.J.Recent Sci. of the Tarvad bark for tanning hides. His findings, published refrained from christening his research findings as Limaye in 1916 in the House Journal of the Ranade Institute, were Effect. used by the British Government during the First World War3. Prof. Limaye’s original research work on the chemistry of Limaye analyzed iron, manganese and bauxite and helped the flavones, flovonals, furoflavones and furo-coumarius and artisans of Poona, Yevale and Benaras in the Jari work. He furocurochromeries was of fundamental importance in guided artisans in gliding of mercury on glass, to understanding the chemistry of naturally occurring manufacture mirrors as well as in the processing of soap and compounds and their synthesis. Prof. Limaye also carried glass, in printing on cloth, cement testing, extraction of gum. out a series of new syntheses of betadiketone and glutaconic On the direction of Harold Mann, Limaye conducted acids. He discovered Benzoyl Resorcinal as a reagent to fill research on properties of vegetable oils like Nimboli, Undi up the vacuum between two atoms of an OH organic and Karanjel and a camphor like substance, he isolated from compound. His Nidhone process to devise reagents for OH Pangala, the findings of which Limaye published in 19214. compounds was used by many researchers in the west to However conditions changed after Mann’s departure from derive reagents for other OH Compounds, thus opening a Ranade Institute. new chapter in the history of organic chemistry. Although promoted as Assistant Secretary of the Ranade D.B. Limaye’s research papers on furocoumarin and Institute in 1920 with double salary, his position in the Nidhone process published in Berishte, the journal of the Ranade Institute still remained insecure, partly because the Austrian Chemicals Society of Vienna in 1932 and 1934 organization dominated by economists wanted to research in respectively, established him as a chemist of international applied science against D. B. Limaye’s insistence on pure repute. It was appreciated by Prof. Earnest of Vienna science and fundamental research (which Limaye viewed as University, Nasemesgenav and Sarevich the researchers on a solid bedrock to construct the edifice of applied research) crop diseases in the agriculture department of the former and partly because Limaye was the only Tilakite among the Soviet Union, whereas Dr. Grobmet of Vienna University, majority of moderates in the Institute. Thus Limaye became a Dr. Becker from London Sugasava of the medical faculty and square peg in a round hole5. Masayati Yanagita of the pharmaceutical faculty of the Tokyo University devised new chemical compounds with the Limaye enjoyed neither medical, house, dearness allowances, help of Nidhone Process. A host of furocoumarins were nor provident fund. In 1925 Limaye constructed a new house synthesized and studied by Limaye’s students after Limaye christened Kapilashra accommodating laboratory in Navi was recognized as a M.Sc. and Ph.D. guide of Bombay Peth Poona and he annually earmarked a fixed sum, finally University in 19307. ranging to Rs. 1000 for chemical research, out of which he established Rasayannidhi in 19306. In order to achieve his original objective of synthesizing Karanjin, he first synthesized a compound very close to A Watershed in Organic Chemistry: With the help of Karanjin. When he was on the point of obtaining the charcoal furnace, Limaye’s alternative to the widely used but synthesis of Karanjin, despite his meager resources at the costly Fisher Furnace, Limaye succeeded in determining the Ranade Institute, he blundered in prematurely exhibiting a formula of Karanjin [C18H2O4] (a colourless crystal like specimen of Karanjin in the Lucknow Session of the Indian compound which he had isolated from the oil seeds of Science Congress. At this very juncture, Dr. Sheshadri of the Karanj) which the nobel prize winner Professor Paul Kahrer well equipped Andhra University Laboratory, synthesized of Zurich University had failed to achieve despite most Karanjin in 1941, snatching away D.B. Limaye’s credit for modern equipments at his disposal. Limaye proved that the his labour of two decades. From this event, D.B. Limaye molecule of Karanjin consisted of three rings fused together, drew the conclusion that in order to get their due credit, in of which at the centre, the carbocyclic benzene nucleus had the present world of ruthless competition, small research on either sides one ring each, containing oxygen atoms institutes ought to build up funds to acquire more facilities8. besides carbon. In order to synthesize Karanjin