Department of Chemistry

Department of Chemistry

The Chemistry Department has a long glorious past with a rich heritage of nurturing, nourishing and showcasing talent in its field. It is situated in the premises of Patna Science College, and has a magnificent H-shaped double storied building which was built in 1927-28 under the supervision of then Principal of the college and the Head of Chemistry Department Dr K. S. Caldwell. This is building huge consisting of big laboratories, lecture theatres, library, chemical store, and sitting rooms. From the early 20th century, the laboratory facilities were recognised to be one of best in the country. The department has been well adorned with distinguished teachers. Dr R. B. N. Sahay who first reported the formation of Iron Hydrides in 1940-41 which initiated the chemistry of Metal Hydride in World. Dr R. B. N. Sahay was the first person who was awarded Ph.D. degree in 1943 under the guidance of the then Head of the Department Dr R. C. Ray, D.Sc. Since then the department had a tradition of important research works. Dr Balbhadra Prasad, D.Sc.(London), FNA, had the distinction of being the first Bihari to produce Ph.D. in experimental science. He was the D.P.I. of Orissa and the Vice Chancellor of Patna University and then of Allahabad University. Dr Prasad was also the President of the Indian National Science Academy. He made valuable research on kinetic and dissociation constants of various inorganic, organic acids and a number of salts as bi- and tri- valence metal salts. His publications on kinetics and electrochemistry is being regarded a basic approach to kinetics and mechanism in electrochemistry. Professor M.Q. Doja, a class-fellow of Dr B. Prasad was the Head of the Department, and then a distinguished Principal of Science College during 1953-59. The Bihar School Examination Board was established and organized under the guidance of Prof. M. Q. Doja as its founder Chairman. Dr B.P. Gayni was the head, Chemistry Department, Science College, Patna and worked on chemical equation, hydrolysis constants of various inorganic salts and kinetics of oxidation of various alcohols and organic molecules in aqueous and mixed solvent system. Dr J. N. Chatterjee, D.Sc., FNA, Dr S.P.Ghosh, and other several distinguished persons happened to be the teachers and the Heads of the Department. Professor J.N. Chatterjee (FNA) was awarded Ph.D. degree from Oxford University and D.Sc. from Patna University. He was a pioneer in the field of organic chemistry. He extensively worked on natural products and oxygen heterocyclic compounds. In Oxford university Professor Chatterjee worked with Professor Robert Robinson (a Nobel Laureate) on oxygen heterocyclic. Professor Chatterjee has published more than 150 research articles in reputed research Journal of India and abroad. Dr J N. Chatterjee was the Director of Lac Research Institute, Ranchi during 1972-75. Professor S.P. Ghosh (1943-1976) was one of the reputed teachers of the country and was one of the active research guides in inorganic chemistry. He worked on platinum metal complexes as well as biological active Benzimidazole derivatives. Professor Ghosh established Inorganic research school of dedicated and active workers like. Professor AK. Banerjee, Dr L.K. Mishra, Dr Amamath Mishra, Dr P. Bhattarcharjee and Professor R.K. Prasad whose research reliability is well known in India and abroad. Dr AK. Banerjee started work on 2-Guanidino benzimidazole completed his post-doctoral work under Professor Jack Lewis on Alkali metal complexes. He worked on a new branch of alkali and alkaline earth metal complexes of organic complexes. Dr B.L. Thakur, one of its teachers, was the Registrar of Patna University and the then Director of the Bihar Text Book Corporation. Dr S.N. Das, another teacher of the department was the Principal of Patna Science College and the Vice-chancellor of Patna University. Other distinguished personalities include Dr Chandrashekhar Sharma, Dr S. K. Ray, Dr A K. Banerjee, Dr B. Singh, Dr S.C. Shaw, Dr S.C. Lal, Dr S. Lal, Dr L. Singh, Dr AK. Mitra et al. Dr Chandrashekhar Sharma, a distinguished personality of this department, was a hard worker, a thinker, a good academician and researcher. At the age of sixteen he was admitted to the Science College Patna for his B.Sc. degree. In 1953 Patna University awarded him the Macpherson, Imam and Radhakrishna Gold Medals for his outstanding performance in the B.Sc. Examination. Then in 1955 he received the University Gold medal for the results of his M.Sc. Examination in Chemistry. He became a Chemistry lecturer at Patna Science College. He went to Oxford in 1960 to do his doctorate in Theoretical Chemistry under Prof C.A. Culson. He completed the writing of his D. Phil. In just two years. For his doctorate he studied some aspect of one electron approximation for many electron atoms and molecules. His work was published (Jointly with his supervisor) in several important papers. His early work in Atomic Physics was widely known and used by workers in the field. Later he became a lecturer in the Mathematics Department of Birkbeck College, London University. There he was able to complete the transition from being a chemist to a mathematician, leaving behind the routine calculations of the theoretical chemists and working instead on the mathematical foundations of relativity and Quantum Mechanics. While teaching undergraduate, and postgraduate courses and supervising research students he published more than 100 original research papers in leading Physics journals and more than 500 reviews. He became a professor at Birkbeck in 1979 and remained at that college until his retirement in 1998. He was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Physics (1967), Royal Society of Chemistry (1968), Royal Astronomical Society (1971) and a Member of the London Mathematical Society (1976). The journal of Natural geometry contains much of his more recent original work. Some idea of his interests and the breadth and depth of his knowledge can be obtained from the issues of the journal that took the form of books which he wrote, starting in 1992 with the Mathematical Foundations of Non Relativistic Quantum Theory. This was followed by the Mathematical Foundation of the Special Theory of Relativity (1993), Mathematical Foundations of Elementary Mechanics (1994), Mathematical foundations of Electrodynamics (1995), Mathematical Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity (1966) and finally Complex Analysis in Relativity (2000). The Department has the legacy of being a good teaching and research centre. In positive research and teaching activity, the Chemistry Department of Patna University has glorious past and progressive future. Professor Caldwell in 1971 published research article on 'Sheelajeet' an energy booster of human health. A good number of the products of the department are holding important assignments and contributing significantly within and outside the country. Prof. (Dr) L. K. Mishra, ex-faculty of this Department, is the first person who started work on water pollution and air quality in Bihar in 1972 and this initiated the scientists of Bihar to studies water and environmental pollution. Dr Mishra has mainly worked on coordination complexes and has published more than 120 research articles in reputed International Journal. Prof. (Dr) Ramjatan Sinha, faculty of this Department, has beautified the post as Head of the P.G. Department and the Principal of Patna Science College. On February 21, 2015 the Department has organised a National Seminar on “Novel Journey from Conventional to Green Chemistry: A bliss to Environment”. Significant Researches • Prof. J.N.Chatterjea D.Sc. FNA former Head of Chemistry, P.U. has Synthesized a compound which is used as a medicine for arthritis under the name Rabiflex (in USA ) and Rabiflux (in Europe). This drug is marketed by May & Bucher Co. London (1983) • He has also patented a Synthetic perfume while acting as Director of Lac Research Institute, Namkum, Ranchi. (1975) • Dr D.N. Ghosh, Prof. of Chemistry, P.U. has given a method for Sugar Refining in 1950s. • Dr Balbhadra Prasad, D.Sc., FNA, Former V.C. of P.U, and Allahabad University and a student of first batch of M.Sc.(P.U.) 1928 has corrected the Davies Equation of Physical Chemistry for which he was awarded D.Sc. by London University • Dr S.P.Ghosh, Professor & Former Head of Chemisty, P.U. has established the structure of Copper (II) Biguanide Complex by Magnetic Method in 1943 which was confirmed by X-Ray techniques by American Researchers in 1968. • Dr R.B.N. Sahai 1st Ph.D. awardee in Science faculty, P.U. (1943) has synthesized Hydrides of Iron & other metals for the first time in 1943 under the supervision of Prof. R.C.Ray, the then Head of Chemistry, P.U.. Prof. Ray was student of Sir Ramasay who discovered inert gasses in 1892. • Prof. (Dr) Lallan Singh and Prof. (Dr) R.C.Jha both Professors of Chemistry, P.U. has given a new equation in Chemical Kinetics in 1980 which is internationally known as Singh & Jha equation of Chemical Kinetics.

First Head: Prof. K. S. Caldwell

Present Head: Prof Bina Rani