CME INDIA Presentation by ⚜ Dr. M. Gowri Sankar, MD, Senior Assistant Professor, Dept. of General Medicine, Government Medical College and ESI Hospital, Coimbatore.
Today’s History Feature:
Prof. Dr. Asima Chatterjee
(Sept 23, 1917 – Nov 22, 2006)
💠🇮🇳 Indian Scientist 🇮🇳
Her Contributions…
🔹Asima Chatterjee was born in Bengal in 1917. Her father was a physician and an amateur botanist, which stimulated her interest in plant’s healing powers.
🔹In fact, she had interest in the field of botany since childhood and hence, she studied organic chemistry from the Scottish Church College, Calcutta in 1936.
🔹She further did her master’s degree and completed Doctoral degree in Organic chemistry in 1944 from the University of Calcutta under the guidance of P. K. Bose, who was the pioneer natural product chemist in India.
🔹Thereafter, she became the first Indian woman to earn a Doctorate in science from an Indian University.
🔹Dr. Asima also gained research experience from the scientists of America and Switzerland while working in the University of California and Zurich.
🔹For many centuries, plants had been used for their medicinal properties. But the biological mechanisms underpinning these plant’s effects came to limelight only after the investigations of Dr. Asima.
🔹After her relentless research efforts on phytomedicine, she isolated a large number of natural products from many species of plants indigenous to the Indian subcontinent.
🔹Then, she successfully developed an antiepileptic drug named Ayush-56 from Marsilia minuta and also the antimalarial drug named Ayush-64 from native medicinal plants.
🔹Furthermore, she spent around 40 years researching various alkaloid compounds.
🔹Her renowned work on alkaloids made an outstanding contribution on Vinca alkaloids from Madagascar periwinkle plants, which is now widely used as chemotherapeutic agent to slow down the growth of cancer cells.
🔹Additionally, she had published more than 400 research articles on plant medicine in both national and international journals and also compiled The Treatise on Indian Medicinal Plants, which was a six volume book in English.
🔹Finally, Dr. Asima’s work was recognised by universities all over the world. Her phenomenal contributions have won various awards and accolades from all over the world.
🔹Apart from her research, she extended her support for female students throughout her career. In 1940, she established the exclusive Department for Chemistry at Lady Brabourne College, Calcutta.
🔹Actually, she was the first Indian women, who received the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in chemical science in 1961. She was also honoured with Padma Bhushan Award, which is India’s third highest civilian award, in 1975.
🔹Indeed, she became the first women scientist to get appointed as the President of the Indian Science Congress Association.
🔹Dr. Asima dedicated her whole life to carry out landmark researches in the field of medicinal chemistry. Also, her devoted work in the field of science have paved the way for millions of women to excel in this field.
🔹Her philosophy in life was imbibed in a very strong work ethic – “I wish to work as long as I live.”
A Day to Commemorate…
A Phenomenal Scientist of India
🇮🇳 Prof. Dr. Asima Chatterjee 🇮🇳🙏🏼
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Genius Dr Asima chatterji, *pride of India* true follower of Lord Krishna’s Gita..
I wish to work as long as I live.. 🙏🏽🙏🏽
Prof AshimaChatterjee’s contributions to science include the following:
Initiated chemical investigation of alkaloids in Rauwolfia canescens.
Investigated the chemistry of almost all principal types of indole alkaloids.
Contributions to the elucidation of the structure and stereochemistry of ajmalicine and sarpagine.
First suggested stereo-configuration of sarpagine. SheIsolated and characterised geissoschizine, a key precursor in biogenesis of indole alkaloids from Rhazya stricta.
She Carried out synthetic studies on a number of complex indole, quinoline and isoquinoline alkaloids.
Developed procedures for the preparation of beta phenylethanolamines in connection with alkaloid synthesis.
She Elucidated the structure of luvangetin isolated from Luvanga scandens.
She Studied the action of various Lewis acids on prenylated coumarins and devised simple synthetic routes to a number of complex coumarin systems.
She Investigated the mechanism of acid-catalysed hydramine fission of beta phenylethanol amines.
She Introduced the use of periodic acid as a reagent for the detection and location of both terminal and exocyclic double bonds in organic compounds.
HerbAwards and recognition
She was a Premchand Roychand Scholar of the University of Calcutta.
From 1962 to 1982, she was the Khaira Professor of Chemistry, one of the coveted chairs of the University of Calcutta.
In 1972, she was appointed as the Honorary Coordinator of the Special Assistance Programme to intensify teaching and research in natural product chemistry, sanctioned by the Indian University Grants Commission.
In 1960, she was elected a Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi.
In 1961, she received the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in chemical science, becoming the first female recipient of this award.
In 1975, she was conferred the Padma Bhushan and became the first female scientist to be elected as the General President of the Indian Science Congress Association .
She was conferred the D. Sc. (honoris causa) degree by several universities.
She was nominated by the President of India as a Member of the Rajya Sabha from February 1982 to May 1990.
On 23 September 2017, the search engine Google deployed a 24-hour Google Doodle in honour of the 100th anniversary of Chatterjee’s birth.[l
She won the C.V Raman award, P.C Ray Award, and the S.S Bhatnagar award.