| Great Scientists |
 |
| Biographies of Great Indians & Hindus |
BIRBAL SAHANI |
|
| Devotion to
WorkIn 1930 Birbal Sahni became a member of the
Executive Council of Lucknow University. Three years later he was elected the Dean of the
Faculty ofScience. He held this position till his death.
In 1930 Birbal Sahni became a member of the Executive Council of Lucknow University. Three years later he was elected the Dean of the Faculty ofScience. He held this position till his death. Birbal Sahni was of the opinion that a student who had studied both botany and geology would make a better palaeo- botanist. With the inauguration of the Department of Geology in the university in 1943, he was appointed as the head of that department also. He was free from snobbery and officiousness. He was an excellent chief to work with. If he wanted the service of his junior colleagues he never summoned them to his room; insisted on hard work and cared for quality, too. He used to quote the saying, "Art is long and time is fleeting", and "Hard work killed nobody". He was unwilling to waste even the time spent on journeys. He found time to read and make notes while travelling. Birbal Sahni’s love of research and desire to encourage it found expression in his instituting a Research Prize in the name of his father. ‘The Ruchi Ram SahniResearch Prize’ is awarded every year for the best work in botanical research. Professor Sahni’s monthly allowance as the Dean of the Faculty of Science formed the funds for this prize. In the Department of Botany the number of students increased every year, and teachers had only a small room. Sahni had not a room of his own. He used to sit in the Botany Museum. Once a guest from abroad visited the department. On being shown round the department, he casually asked, "Where does Professor Sahni work?" He was shown a table in the corner of the museum and he exclaimed: "What! Doesn’t Professor Sahni have a room of his own?" Then he himself addedsmilingly, "Yes, great scientists all the world over have worked only in garrets." |
|
