Hidden stars of Indian science

This book focuses on the achievements of five individuals (two of whom worked in tandem), roughly between 1875 and 1950.

- DEVANGSHU DATTA

All of them were Indians, and they had significant scientific and technical feats to their credit, in different fields of bioscience. All of them were trained and educated in institutions established by the British rulers of the subcontinent, and they lived out their working lives during the era of British rule (though one of them did most of his work in the US).

All of them struggled to overcome barriers of race and contended with inadequate resources. Each of them succeeded to the extent that they managed to put together a very significant body of work. However, none of them got the recognition they deserved. Part of the problem may also be the generally ahistorical culture of India where things are badly documented, and archival records and data are pigeonholed and forgotten.

The authors are both trained in the biosciences so it is not surprising that they chose to focus on individuals who were working in those fields. The essays are buttressed by solid research and supported by meticulous footnotes.