Early Days
- Homi Jehangir Bhabha was born on 30 October 1909 in Mumbai, India and lived till 24 January 1966.
- He was an Indian Nuclear Physicist, Founding Director, and Professor of Physics at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).
- He received his early studies at Bombay's Cathedral and John Connon School and entered Elphinstone College after passing his Senior Cambridge Examination with Honours.
- He then attended the Royal Institute of Science in 1927.
- He was graduated in the field of mechanical engineering from Caius College of Cambridge University, England.
- He was known as "Father of the Indian nuclear programme",
- Bhabha was also the founding director of the Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay (AEET) which is now named the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in his honour.
- TIFR and AEET were the cornerstone of Indian development of nuclear weapons which Bhabha also supervised as director.
- He was honored with Doctorate in Theoretical Physics in 1935.
- His hobbies included painting, classical music and opera, and botany.
- Homi Bhabha was awarded the Adams Prize (1942) and Padma Bhushan (1954).
- He was also nominated for the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1951 and 1953–1956.
Bhabha's Contribution towards Nuclear Physics
- In 1931, Nuclear Physics was attracting the greatest minds and it was one of the most significant emerging fields as compared to Theoretical Physics.
- It was a lifelong passion of Bhabha to conduct experiments on particles which also released the enormous amounts of radiation and his great research and experiments brought great laurels to Indian physicists.
- Bhabha conducted a research in the cosmic radiation’s understanding by working on the cascade theory of electron showers with Walter Heitler in 1936.
- His theory described how primary cosmic rays from outer space interact with the upper atmosphere producing observable particles at the ground level, making estimations of the number of electrons in the cascade process at different altitudes for different electron initiation energies.
- In 1939, he accepted a position of reader of physics and establishing the Cosmic Ray Research Institute at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore.
- He established the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai and became their director in 1945.
- Bhabha become the first chairperson of India’s Atomic Energy Commission in 1948.
- He directed the scientists of India into making an atomic bomb and the first atomic reactant was operated in Mumbai in 1956.
- Bhabha predicted that a limitless power of industries would be found through nuclear fusion’s control. He promoted nuclear energy control and also prohibition of atomic bombs worldwide.
- He suggested that the production of an atomic reactor should be used to lessen India’s misery and poverty.
- Bhabha received many rewards and award from Indian as well as foreign universities and he was an associate of various societies of science including the American National Academy of Sciences.