P.C. Mahalanobis

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             P.C. Mahalanobis   A well-known Indian statistician and scientist, Mahalanobis is greatly popular for introducing new methods of sampling. His most significant contribution in the field of statistics was the 'Mahalanobis Distance'. Besides, he had also made pioneering studies in the field of anthropometry and had founded the Indian Statistical Institute.  Originally, the family of Mahalanobis belonged to Bikrampur, Bangladesh. As a child. Mahalanobis grew up in an environment surrounded by socially active refoemers and intellectuals. He had his initial education from Brahmo Boys School Calcutta. Further, he enrolled himself into Presidency College and got a BSc degree with specialisation in physics. In 1913, Mahalanobis left for England for ther stodies and came in contact with S. Ramanujan, the famous mathematician from India. After completion of his studies. he returned

Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray

Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray 

Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray was born on 2 August 1861 in Khulna district in present-day Bangladesh. His father Harish Chandra Ray was a land proprietor, Up to the age of nine, Prafulla Chandra studied in a school in his village. In 1870, his family migrated to Calcutta, and Ray and his elder brother were admitted to Hare School. When in the fourth standard, he suffered from a severe attack of dysentery and had to postpone his studies for a couple of years and return to his ancestral home in the village. However, hie utilized this time in reading literature.


 A pioneer in chemical research in India, Prafulla Chandra Ray joined the Presidency College as a lecturer in chemistry in 1889 after completing higher- education at the Edinburgh University. With the help of a renowned French chemist,Berthelot, he did commendable research work in Ayurveda. In 1892, he founded Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceutical Works, India's first pharmaceutical company, which progressed phenomenally under his guidance. His book History of Hindu Chemistry was published in 1902. He attended several international science
congresses and seminars as a representative of Indian universities. In 1920, he was elected as President of Indian Science Congress Association. 


Prafulla Chandra Ray's ultimate aim was to make use of the wonders of science to uplift the masses. He wrote several articles on science, which were published in leading journals of the time. An ardent social worker, he was actively involved in relief work during the famine in 1922 in North Bengal. He advocated the use of khadi and started several cottage industries. A firm believer in rationalism, he condemned the decadent social customs such as untouchability. He continued with his constructive social reform work till his death.

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