P.M. Bhargava: The Indian man who saw tomorrow in a cell
This article profiles the life and contributions of Pushpa M. Bhargava, a pioneering Indian scientist who founded the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology. It highlights his transition from chemistry to biology and his visionary role in shaping modern biological research in India.
Why it matters
It documents the foundational history of India's scientific infrastructure and the intellectual journey of a key figure in modern biology.
The double-helix structure of DNA was postulated in 1953. By 1959, Pushpa M. Bhargava, a chemistry PhD who switched to biology, wrote a note to create a Biological Laboratory of India. By 1977, Hyderabad had the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology carved out of the space of the IICT. A new biography by Bhargava’s long-time associate Chandana Chakrabarti ‘The Man and The Making of Modern Biology in India’ brings to life the fascinating story of India’s modern biology, its tryst with irrationality, homoeopathy, fish ‘prasadam’, bureaucracy and the man who saw tomorrow in a cell. Edited excerpts from an interview with The Hindu ’s Serish Nanisetti.
The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology and Pushpa M. Bhargava are synonymous even after decades, what’s the origin story?
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