Today is the death anniversary of Prof. Birbal Sahni FRS, an eminent scientist.He was born on 14 November 1891 in an illustrious family of Undivided Punjab that laid great premium on Education. He and his four siblings were sent to England for studies. His grandfather was an amateur researcher in Chemistry and his father Ruchi Ram Sahni was a Professor of Chemistry and also an Archaeologist.
Initially educated at University College ,Lahore and the Punjab University, Birbal Sahni studied at Emmanuel College, Cambridge and subsequently obtained was awarded a Doctor of Science degree from the London Universty in 1919. Returning to India, he taught at the Benaras Hindu University, Punjab University and Lucknow University.
Birbal Sahni who was a paleobotanist ,made a pioneering study and research on Fossils in India.In 1936,he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society, a rare honour those days.
He was hailed as the most handsome FRS.His other interests included Geology and Archaeology.
Many honours and recognition came his way. He was the President of National Academy of Sciences, India and the Honorary President of International. Congress of Botany, Stockholm .
He died this day in 1949 aged 58.
The Institute of Palaeobotany that he founded at Lucknow in 1946 was named after him after his death.
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