Satyendranath Bose was born on 1January 1894 in Calcutta to Surendranath and Amodini Devi.
Satyendranath began his education at an elementary school in Calcutta before entering the Hindu School in 1907. It was here that his interest in mathematics and science began.
He began his studies at Presidency College, Calcutta, in 1909 where he had a brilliant academic record. He was awarded a B.Sc. in 1913 and an M.Sc. in 1915 proving himself to be by far the best student of mathematics. In the year he was awarded his Master’s degree, Bose married Ushabala Ghosh. They had five children, three daughters and two sons.
Had Indians been allowed to take administrative posts in the government service, Bose would almost certainly have followed that route. As it was, he continued to study physics and mathematics and was appointed to the newly opened University College of Science in Calcutta in 1917.
Bose was appointed as a Reader in physics at the University of Dacca in 1921 and taught there until 1945, being a professor and head of the physics department from 1927. In 1945 he returned to Calcutta University when he was appointed as Professor of Physics, a position he held until he retired in 1956.
He did important work in quantum theory, in particular on Planck’s black body radiation law. Bose sent his paper to Einstein.
The paper, and his method of deriving Planck’s radiation formula, was enthusiastically endorsed by Einstein who saw at once that Bose had removed a major objection against light quanta.
It was not only for his research contributions that Bose is important, however, for his efforts to improve education in India led to a much greater use of technology. He gave leadership in many ways—as president of the physics section of the Indian Science Congress in 1939, as general president of the Indian Science Congress in Delhi in 1944, and as president of the National Institute of Science of India in 1949. His greatest honour was election to the Royal Society of London in 1958.
After Bose retired from Calcutta University in 1956 he was appointed as vice-chancellor of Viswa-Bharati University, Shantiniketan. Two years later he was honoured with the post of national professor. He left for heavenly abode on 4 February 1974.
