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By:

Suhas B Naik-Satam

25 November 2025 at 2:24:38 pm

The Institution That Shaped Modern Indian Science

A journey from Mahendra Lal Sircar's vision to global scientific excellence. The year 2026 marks the sesquicentennial of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), Kolkata, the oldest institution in India devoted exclusively to fundamental scientific research. Founded on 29 July 1876 by the visionary physician and educationist Dr Mahendra Lal Sircar, IACS emerged when India lacked institutions dedicated to experimental science. Convinced that scientific inquiry was...

The Institution That Shaped Modern Indian Science

A journey from Mahendra Lal Sircar's vision to global scientific excellence. The year 2026 marks the sesquicentennial of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), Kolkata, the oldest institution in India devoted exclusively to fundamental scientific research. Founded on 29 July 1876 by the visionary physician and educationist Dr Mahendra Lal Sircar, IACS emerged when India lacked institutions dedicated to experimental science. Convinced that scientific inquiry was indispensable for national progress, Sircar established an institution to nurture original research by Indians while promoting scientific knowledge among the public. One hundred and fifty years later, IACS remains one of India's foremost research institutions, its history closely intertwined with the evolution of modern science in the country. The genesis of IACS reflected the intellectual ferment of the Bengal Renaissance. Trained in Western medicine yet deeply committed to India's intellectual emancipation, Sircar argued that science should be cultivated through experimentation and discovery rather than merely imported through textbooks. Inspired by institutions such as the Royal Institution of Great Britain, he envisioned a publicly supported national laboratory where Indians could pursue independent scientific research. At a time when such opportunities were scarce under colonial rule, IACS became the country's first permanent home for fundamental scientific investigation. During its early decades, the Association combined public lectures and scientific demonstrations with laboratory research, fostering an interdisciplinary culture spanning physics, chemistry and the natural sciences. Though modest in resources, it established an enduring tradition of curiosity-driven research. The defining chapter in IACS history began with the arrival of Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman in 1907. While serving in the Indian Finance Department, Raman spent his evenings and holidays conducting experiments at IACS on acoustics, optics and the scattering of light. On 28 February 1928, he and his collaborators announced the discovery of the inelastic scattering of light by molecules—the Raman Effect—creating a powerful spectroscopic technique that transformed the study of molecular structure. Today, Raman spectroscopy is indispensable across chemistry, materials science, biology, medicine, pharmaceuticals, environmental monitoring and planetary exploration. For this achievement, Raman received the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physics, becoming the first Asian to win a Nobel Prize in the sciences for work conducted entirely in India. His success demonstrated that world-class scientific research could emerge from Indian laboratories. Yet IACS's scientific legacy extends far beyond Raman. Kedareswar Banerjee advanced crystallographic research through pioneering X-ray crystallography, while Satyendra Nath Bose's association with IACS enriched the intellectual environment that fostered advances in quantum physics. Meghnad Saha's theory of thermal ionisation transformed astrophysics, and together Raman, Bose and Saha established Kolkata as one of Asia's leading scientific centres. The institution also made major contributions to chemistry through Jnan Chandra Ghosh, whose work in physical chemistry laid foundations for modern chemical research in India. Following Independence, IACS expanded into chemical sciences, materials science, biological sciences and theoretical physics, reflecting the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of scientific inquiry. Among its distinguished scientists was Asima Chatterjee, whose pioneering research on natural products chemistry and medicinal plant alkaloids transformed phytochemistry and contributed significantly to pharmaceutical science. Ajoy Ghatak further strengthened IACS's reputation through his work in fibre optics, waveguides and laser physics, while his textbooks educated generations of physicists and engineers. More recently, IACS researchers have advanced ultrafast spectroscopy, nanomaterials, renewable energy, molecular electronics, quantum materials and computational biology. Today, IACS functions as a deemed-to-be university under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. Its interdisciplinary research spans the chemical, physical and biological sciences, supported by advanced facilities in spectroscopy, microscopy, X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, computational modelling and materials characterisation. Its doctoral and postdoctoral programmes continue to produce scientists who contribute to universities, research laboratories and industry worldwide. The institution's enduring strength lies in its commitment to curiosity-driven research. Unlike organisations established primarily for technological development or industrial applications, IACS has consistently recognised that transformative innovation begins with fundamental scientific understanding. This philosophy, articulated by Mahendra Lal Sircar nearly 150 years ago, remains especially relevant in an era defined by quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, sustainable energy and molecular medicine. The sesquicentennial of IACS celebrates not only a remarkable institution but also the evolution of Indian science. From its modest beginnings in colonial Calcutta to its emergence as an internationally respected research institution, IACS has nurtured Nobel laureates, pioneering physicists, eminent chemists and generations of young researchers who continue to expand the frontiers of knowledge. As IACS enters its second century and a half, it carries forward Mahendra Lal Sircar's vision that science should be pursued with intellectual freedom, experimental rigour and an unwavering commitment to the advancement of humanity. Its 150-year legacy remains a powerful reminder that the greatest scientific discoveries begin with curiosity and flourish in institutions dedicated to excellence. (The writer is the Chief Executive for National Centre for Science Communicators, Mumbai. Views personal.)

Valentines - Love, Wealth, and Right Partner

Valentine’s Day was celebrated recently this month. Remember this line: love and wealth both blossom when nurtured with the right person. It sounds romantic, yes. But it is also practical. Because the truth is, love rarely thrives in chaos - and wealth rarely grows in confusion.


What Love Teaches Us

Let us start with love. Most relationships do not break because of one big dramatic fight. They break because of small, repeated stresses: misunderstandings, ego clashes, and unmet expectations. Over time, those little cracks become big gaps.


Love needs nurturing - communication, patience, clarity, and consistency. And when you have the right partner, the same problems feel lighter. You solve them together. The relationship becomes a foundation, not a daily battle.


Wealth Works the Same Way

Now let us talk about wealth. Money works exactly the same way. Wealth is not built by a one-time lucky stock pick or a perfect market-timing moment. Wealth blossoms when it is nurtured - through discipline, planning, and sensible decisions repeated over years. But in the real world, most people do not lose money because they “do not know finance.” They lose money because emotions take over. That is where the “right partner” principle matters in finances too.


The Financial Advisor as the Right Partner

A good financial advisor is not just someone who suggests products. A good advisor is a stabilizing partner - someone who keeps you aligned to your long-term goals, protects you from impulsive decisions, and helps you take the right steps. Remember, Advisor Zaroori Hai.


In India, where managing money and paperwork can be complex, having a single point of contact (not yourself) makes the journey smoother. But the choice of advisor matters.


How to Choose the Right Financial Advisor

First, qualifications matter. Just as you would not trust your health to an unqualified person, you should not entrust your wealth to someone without the necessary expertise. Health and wealth are sensitive domains that shape your life in meaningful ways.


Second, prefer an independent advisor who runs their own practice rather than an employee of a bank or brokerage. Employees are often product-focused and driven by sales targets, which can push advice toward what needs to be sold. An independent advisor is more likely to focus on your goals, offer multiple solutions, and balance risk, return, liquidity, and time horizon to create the right mix for you. Ideally, this should be a full-time advisor, not a part-time arrangement.


Third, choose long-term trust. Wealth is a long journey. You need a partner who stays through, not someone who disappears after a sale. This is also where many employee relationship managers fall short - they often change roles, firms, or cities, leading to inconsistent support.


Closing Thought

Ultimately, finding the right financial advisor is a critical step toward financial freedom. Choose wisely.


This Valentine’s season, if you are celebrating love, celebrate good partnerships. And if you are building wealth, make sure you are not doing it alone with random advice, noise, and impulse.


Because both love and wealth have one common rule: they grow best when nurtured - with the right person.


(The author is a Chartered Accountant and CFA (USA). Financial Advisor.  Views personal. He could be reached on 9833133605.) 


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