Bibha Chowdhuri: a missed Nobel Prize
Bibha Chowdhuri, remains largely unknown in Physics, she made some of the very significant contributions in the field and her contributions are lately getting recognized.
In 1938, Chowdhuri graduated with master of science in physics from Calcutta University.
After graduation, she wanted to continue research under physicist D.M Bose at Calcutta University, but was initially denied by Prof. Bose, saying he didn’t have projects “suitable for women”. Nevertheless, she relentlessly convinced him.
In 1942, Bibha in research conducted under D.M. Bose and made major contributions to the discovery of ‘meson’ (the heavier sibling of the electron), a type of subatomic particle.
Side Note: This was also the time when world was grappling with World War II, and India was still struggling for its freedom.
Chowdhuri and D. M. Bose used photographic plates to detect mesons and published three scientific journals in Nature (a famous science journal).
However, due to lack of resources to acquire more sensitive photographic plates during World War II, Chowdhuri and D. M. Bose had to abandon their pioneering project.
Unfortunately for them, seven years later, the English physicist Cecil F. Powell, equipped with sensitive photographic plates, used the same technique as Chowdhuri and Bose to detect two different kinds of mesons known as pions and muons and won the Nobel Prize in physics for his discoveries.
Had Chowdhuri had access to better facilities, she may have become the first Indian woman to win a Nobel Prize.
Historically, women’s achievements in science often remained in the shadows of the men who led them. While, Prof. Bose remains celebrated as one of the great Indian Physicist. Bibha Chowdhuri’s story and contribution suffers fate of many peers of her time.
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