Contributed By: Dr. R. Boradkar
Eighty three years old, Shri.
T K Ghosh stays in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Mr. Ghosh, has a son who is settled in
US and a daughter who lives in France. Shri Ghosh joined the Department of Atomic
Energy [DAE], which was BARC at that time in 1956, under the chairmanship of
Dr. Homi Bhaba.
After Dr Bhaba he worked under
Dr Vikram Sarabhai who had him sent to Canada for training for construction, commissioning
and operation of first Nuclear reactor, Cyrus.
Subsequently he was sent to England to be attached to Atomic Energy Research
Establishment [AERE] at Harwell close to Oxford
to study the effect of radiation on metals and ceramics under the guidance of
the then metallurgical scientist in the world Professor Dr. Allen Cottrell.
After completing this
assignment there was a brief sojourn back in India and then he was sent By Dr
Sarabhai to France to represent India as In Charge of the Europe Region for the
department of space [ISRO] for development of the first rocket India was to
send and as the liaison officer for DAE in Europe.
After spending 14 years in France he returned back to India and
eventually retired as Executive Director, Projects.
He having spent a greater
part of his professional life in France speaks French fluently.
He maintains a fairly good
health and spends his time doing his daily cores and listening to music. He is
a fan of Amir khan Saheb.
Cooking is one of his hobbies.
The Walnut cake that he makes is my favorite. Here he narrates one of his fond
memories on my request. So here it is.
Like every second Sunday of
the month of June a big pandal was built
in the sports ground of the National Council of education, Jadavpur, Bengal to
seat about one thousand guests who will witness the convocation of the
graduating engineers in the fields of Chemical, Electrical and Mechanical
engineering for the year 1951.
NCE, Bengal held a very dear
spot in the hearts of educationalists of the then India as it challenged the British
Raj to impart technical education to young aspirants on equal footing. Jadavpur University, as it is known since independence,
stands tall among universities that impart education in all disciplines
including CHEMICAL engineering, which was considered a rarity, somewhat unknown
and ill understood among the aspirants and the public at large in the pre
independence days under review. The scenario is very different in the advancing
India
of to day.
The ceremony started with the
strike of a gong at 3P.M. The podium adored the luminaries like Dr. Hiralal
Roy, A B Hervard and Head, chemical engineering division, DR. T. C. Sen
Doc-in-engg., Berlin and Principal of NCE, Dr. Bidhanchandra Roy F.R.C.S.,
chief Minister, West Bengal and also Rector of NCE , Bengal. The convocation
address was delivered by none other than Dr. Sarvapally Radhakrishnan, the icon
of Indian Philosophy, the universal Teacher who was also the Vice President of
India at that point of time. The aspiring graduates were dressed in the
simplest of simple in whites without gowns or caps.
The certificates were handed over
in sequence by Dr. Roy to Dr. Sen and then to Dr. B. C. Roy, the towering tall
luminary who announced the names in his deep baritone voice and handed over the
rolls with intermittent witty quips that
delighted the audience.
The recipients came from all over
India including one from North West Frontier Province. 20% of the recipients were from outside
Bengal with two international students, one from China
and one from Indonesia.
Being unwell Dr Radhakrishnan
delivered his very brief speech while sitting. As the Head of the University
Grants Commission he has been following the steep ascent of NCE, Bengal under
the able guidance of Dr. T. C. Sen , who later became successively the
Education Minister and the Petroleum Minister at the centre .
Dr Radhakrishnan was moved
with the simplicity of the convocation function. He spoke about the faculty of
whom he had heard much about their nationalistic approach to teaching, to the
delight of the teachers, the large alumni that was present and the guests. It
needs to be a philosopher and a good student of English language to understand
fully what Dr Radhakrishnan spoke that afternoon. There were few sentences but
loaded with big meaning that provoked thoughts. He concluded advising us to
remember our teachers who were the nucleus and the catalyst of an academic life
that continues to enrich the soul as life progresses. How true he had been as I
see myself as a humble student Of NCE, Bengal.
In the evening of my life,
when I sit back and think in my pensive mood the proceedings of the convocation
day afternoon on that Sunday of June
1951, still continue to enthrall me, as the most memorable and joyous event of
my life.
[The writer was a student of
Chemical Engineering at NCE Bengal during 1947 to 1951.]
Shri Tushar Kanti Ghosh
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