National Current Affairs
Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray
- 03 Sep 2025
- 2 min read
Why in News?
On the 164th birth anniversary of Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray, the pioneer of modern chemistry in India, various commemorative activities were organised.
Key Points
- About: Prafulla Chandra Ray (1861–1944), often hailed as the “Father of Indian Chemistry,” was a pioneering scientist and educator who is regarded as one of India’s earliest modern chemical researchers.
- Trained at the University of Edinburgh, Ray spent many years at Presidency College and Calcutta University.
- Work:
- He is credited with discovering the stable compound Mercurous Nitrite in 1895.
- A staunch nationalist, Ray was committed to advancing Bengali enterprise and established the Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works in 1901.
- Ray was an active supporter of the Swadeshi Movement of 1905 and considered the use of Bideshi articles a crime of treason against India.
- Ray opposed the caste system and other irrational social practices, actively promoting social reform until his death.
- Awards and Recognitions:
- Honored by the British Government, he received the title of Companion of the Indian Empire (CIE) and then with the Knighthood in 1919.
- In 1920, he was elected General President of the Indian Science Congress.
- In recognition of his contributions, India Post issued a postage stamp in his honor on 2nd August 1961, marking his birth anniversary.
