Vineeta Rao
Auckland, April 15, 2025
Dr Bibha Chowdhuri was India’s first High Particle Physicist.
Apart from a few batches of administrative service hopefuls, not many have heard of Dr Bibha Chowdhuri despite her numerous accomplishments. Her contributions to Particle Physics and Cosmic Ray Research have left an indelible mark in the annals of Indian science.
Education and Scientific Work
Bibha was born on July 3, 1913, in Kolkata, to a family of Zamindars or Landowners. The family belonged to the Brahmo Samaj and believed in the education of women. All five Chowdhuri siblings were highly educated.
Dr Chowdhuri’s academic journey began at the Rajabazar Science College of Calcutta University, where she was the only woman to complete her MSc in Physics in 1936.
Her early work at the Bose Institute with Debendra Mohan Bose led to the first detection and identification of mesons using photographic nuclear emulsion. This discovery was a significant milestone in Particle Physics, although it did not receive the recognition it deserved at the time.
For her doctoral studies, Bibha joined the laboratory of Patrick Blackett, who went on to win the Nobel Prize. It is uncertain how much her doctoral research contributed to Blackett’s win.
In 1949, two years after India gained independence, Bibha joined the newly constituted Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Bombay, becoming the first woman researcher. She was handpicked by the legendary Dr Homi J Bhabha based on her remarkable academic career despite his misgivings on hiring women researchers.
During her stint at TIFR, her work on Cosmic Rays continued and contributed heavily to the discovery of K Mesons Particles. Her research into Cosmic Rays continued to break new ground. She briefly left TIFR to work at Cosmic Ray Physicist L Leprince Ringuet’s Laboratory in Paris.
Her work was published in prestigious journals such as Nature and the Proceedings of the Physical Society of London.
Unfortunately, as is all too familiar in Science, gender politics ensured that despite her remarkable achievements, Chowdhuri’s contributions were often overlooked. She did not receive any national awards or fellowships from major scientific societies during her lifetime. Even her attempt to join three major science academies in India was rebuffed.
A Shining Star
Dr Chowdhuri had many firsts to her credit. She was the first High-Energy Physicist of India and the first to measure the mass of the Meson. Physicist C F Powell won the Nobel prize in 1950 for the development of a photographic method for particle detection and the discovery of the pion using the same method of measurement pioneered by Dr Chowdhuri.
Although her contributions were many and several scientists built on her work, she was never awarded or acknowledged in many instances.
Her biographers believe this was due to gender discrimination, but Dr Chowdhuri was undeterred and continued to publish her research until she died.
Her legacy endures even today, with the International Astronomical Union naming a star, HD 86081, Bibha, in her honour.
Dr Chowdhuri passed away on June 2, 1991, but her story of courage, determination, and scientific excellence should be told to inspire future generations of researchers. Pioneers rarely have it easy, but their trials and tribulations help carve out a path for those who follow in their wake. And for that, if nothing else, we must be grateful.
Editor’s Note: Many South Asian Physicists and Scientists who have made significant contributions to the world of Science are in danger of being forgotten. If you are aware of any trailblazers, please let us know. We should keep their legacies alive and encourage more children to emulate them.
Vineeta Rao is an Indian Newslink Reporter based in Auckland.
