A new book on the life and times of Jagadish Chandra Bose, widely regarded as the father of modern science in India, will hit the stands on March 20, Penguin Random House India (PRHI) announced on Thursday.
"The Scientific Sufi", written by scientist Dr Meher Wan, reconstructs Bose's life -- times, work, legacy, childhood, early years and influences -- and paints an intimate portrait of the scientist.
Born in Bengal during the British Raj in 1858, Bose, who was not given enough credit for his rich scientific career during his lifetime, came close to winning at least two Nobel Prizes for his work on wireless communication and the discovery of the nervous system in plants.
The innovator is credited with proving that animals and plants share much in common as a result of his early experimentations and the creation of a sophisticated instrument called the crescograph to detect minute responses of living organisms.
"I have wept, been thrilled, felt proud and got goosebumps numerous times when I was researching and writing this book. I have tried my best to put aside my own experiences, prejudices and opinions. My attempt has been to present his persona through the events in his life, his thoughts, his times and his contemporaries," Dr Wan, scientist at CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR), writes in the introduction of the book.
Bose attended the University of Cambridge, studying natural sciences after graduating with a physics degree from Calcutta University.
He returned to India in 1884 after completing his BSc degree and was appointed Professor of Physical Science at Presidency College in Kolkata.
In 1917, Bose left his professorship and established the Bose Institute at Kolkata, which was initially devoted to the study of plants.
According to the publishers, the effort to bring out the biography is an "attempt to present the life and ideas of JC Bose before people so that they can get inspiration from his life".
"He (Bose) set the stage for modern science and technology in India and also made the countrypersons proud by earning the respect of the greatest from around the world. Sir JC Bose worked till his last breath and sacrificed everything for his country and people," the publishers said.
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