Bibha Chowdhuri: Indian Physicist Honored with Star Naming
Bibha Chowdhuri was a groundbreaking Indian physicist who extensively studied cosmic rays and was honored with a star named after her in 2019.
KOLKATA, Oct 26: Bibha Chowdhuri, an influential Indian physicist known for her research on cosmic rays, was honored in 2019 when the International Astronomical Union named the star HD 86081 after her. Located in the constellation Sextans, the star commemorates her contributions to high-energy and particle physics.
Born on July 3, 1913, in Calcutta, Chowdhuri pursued a career in a male-dominated field, graduating with a master’s degree in physics from the University of Calcutta in 1936. At that time, she was reportedly the only woman among 24 students in her class. Her family, supportive of her education, played a key role in her pursuit of science.
After completing her master’s, Chowdhuri worked under physicist Debendra Mohan Bose at the Bose Institute, investigating cosmic rays. Their collaboration led to published research in the journal Nature during the late 1930s and early 1940s, which contributed to the understanding of mesons, a class of subatomic particles.
World War II interrupted their research due to a shortage of photographic materials, prompting Chowdhuri to continue her studies in Britain, where she earned a PhD at the University of Manchester under Nobel Prize winner Patrick Maynard Stuart Blackett. Subsequently, she became the first female researcher at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in 1949, founded by Homi Jehangir Bhabha.
Chowdhuri also worked at the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad, furthering her research in cosmic rays and high-energy particles. Despite her substantial contributions, she received limited recognition during her lifetime and continued her work until her passing on June 2, 1991.
The posthumous recognition of her legacy, particularly the star named in her honor, highlights her significant yet under-acknowledged impact in the field of physics. The name ‘Bibha’ translates to “ray of light” in Bengali, aptly reflecting her work in illuminating the nature of cosmic particles, as noted by the Council of the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
