A Lifelong Inspiration: Prof. A. Bose and My Scientific Journey

 A Lifelong Inspiration: Prof. A. Bose and My Scientific Journey

Dr Jayanta Sthanapati

Former DDG, National Council of Science Museums

 

I take this opportunity to share a brief recollection of my time as a student of Professor Akshayananada Bose. Unfortunately, many of those who worked with him for years are no longer around to share their positive experiences.

I was a research fellow at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS) from 1973 to 1978. After that, I transitioned into the science museum profession. My association with Professor A. Bose lasted from 1973 to 1976, so my experience working under him was somewhat limited. Nevertheless, it was a life-changing experience, and I continue to cherish those golden moments.

Prof. A. Bose (1911-1997)

In 1972, India celebrated the significant milestone of its Silver Jubilee of Independence. The IACS organised a series of popular science lectures featuring eminent scholars from the institution. As a final-year M.Sc. physics student at Jadavpur University, I eagerly attended two of these lectures. One particularly memorable lecture was delivered by Professor A. Bose, titled "The Fascinating World of Cryogenics." This lecture, which included a remarkable live demonstration, left a lasting impression on me and deepened my interest in low-temperature physics.

In 1973, I was awarded a Junior Research Fellowship in the Department of Magnetism at the IACS. The interview board was chaired by Prof. A. Bose, who was the Head of the Department at that time. I joined the Magnetic Resonance Group headed by Dr Arun Pal and the Cryogenics Group, under the leadership of Prof. Bose. The other members of the Cryogenics Group included Dr Arun Pal, Dr Dipti Pal, Mr Anil Ghosal, and Mr Chittaranjan Maity. At IACS, we had a Liquid Hydrogen Liquefier. My initial task involved developing a Liquid Level Controller, which I successfully designed and implemented.

In 1974, I published my first research paper titled “An Automatic Cryogenic Liquid Level Controller” in the Cryogenics Journal. Prof. A. Bose was the first author, and I was the second author, along with two other authors from our group. This marked a significant milestone in my early research career. In 1975, Prof. Bose founded the Indian Cryogenic Council (ICC). Other notable individuals who played a role alongside him included Prof. S.K. Dutta Roy, Dr A.K. Pal, and Dr P. Sengupta. That same year, the ICC organised the “First Symposium on Cryogenics” at IIT Kharagpur, which greatly expanded my understanding of the field. The second and third annual symposiums were held at NPL in New Delhi and IIT Madras. I had the privilege of attending all three symposiums with other members of Prof. Bose’s Cryogenics Group at IACS. As junior scholars, we interacted with many luminaries in cryogenics, including Prof. V.G. Bhide, Prof. S.K. Dutta Roy, and Prof. R. Srinivasan, who had a profound influence on my scientific perspective. At NPL in 1976, alongside presenting papers from our Cryogenics Group, we organised a comprehensive graphic and photographic exhibition titled “March Towards Absolute Zero.”

In 1976, during the centenary year of IACS, I became a Senior Research Fellow of the CSIR. It was a year marked by our significant work, and our efforts were recognised when the ICC awarded us the A.N. Chatterjee Memorial Medal for the best work on cryo-instrumentation in 1976. [Image attached]

I earned a PhD in Physics (Science) from the University of Calcutta, for my research in solid-state physics at the IACS. Additionally, I obtained a PhD (Arts) in History from Jadavpur University for my thesis titled “The Impact of the Second World War on the Studies of Magnetic Resonance.”

During my time with Prof. Bose, which lasted just over three years, I found him to be down-to-earth. His clear guidance and encouragement made me feel valued, fostering gratitude and respect among my peers.

In 1978, while still a Research Fellow at IACS, I accepted a position as Curator B (equivalent to a CSIR Scientist B) at the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM). I informed Prof. Bose during our meeting at his office at Jadavpur University that I would be leaving IACS. He expressed his reluctance for me to go but also acknowledged that working at a science museum would be a beneficial opportunity, emphasising the need for academics and research-minded individuals in that field. He advised me to work there with utmost sincerity, assuring me that I would succeed in that profession. Ultimately, I retired from the National Council of Science Museums after 33 years, serving as Deputy Director General (DDG), the second-highest position in the organisation, for three years.

The lessons I learned from my association with him have been a guiding force in many aspects of my life.

 

 

List of Publications of Dr Jayanta Sthanapati (1974 - July 2026)

 

A.      History of Science

 

1.       Sthanapati, Jayanta and S.N. Sen. “History of Magnetic Studies in India 1850-1980: A Bibliography” Indian J. History of Science 30 (1995) S1-S204; 31 (1996) S205-S302; S203-S336; S337-S400. [Published as a Book by the Indian National Science Academy in 2004].

 

2.       Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Geomagnetic Studies in the 19th Century British India” Propagation 1 (2010) 77-80. [Propagation is a biannual peer-reviewed journal of Science Communication published by the National Council of Science Museums, Kolkata, India].

 

3.       Sthanapati, Jayanta and Kunal Chattopadhyay. “World War II and Its Impact on the Studies of Magnetic Resonance: 1939-1973” Propagation. 1 (2010) 115-123.

 

4.       Sthanapati, Jayanta and Kunal Chattopadhyay. “Scientific Discoveries, Technological Innovations and Modern Warfare” Propagation. 2 (2011) 91-110.

 

5.       Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Rise of Fascist and Nazi Totalitarianism, Migration of Scientists and Creation of Atomic Bomb” Propagation. 3 (2012) 67-80.

 

6.       Sthanapati, Jayanta. “March towards a hunger-free India” Science and Culture, 79 9-10 (2013)  347-354.

 

7.       Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Impact of the Second World War on Studies of Magnetic Resonance: 1939-1973” Accepted PhD Thesis of the Department of History, Jadavpur University (2013).

 

8.       Sthanapati, Jayanta. “History of Science Museums and Planetariums in India: Project Report” Accepted research work. Indian National Science Academy (2016). Indian Journal of History of Science 52.3 (2017) 357-368.

9.       Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Samarendra Nath Sen – The Doyen of Research in the History of Science in India” Science and Culture, 85 11-12 (2019)  368-372.

 

10.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Book Review: D.M. Bose – His Life, Science and Connection with Global Elites” Science and Culture, 86 1-2 (2020)  55-56.

 

11.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “সার্ধশতবর্ষের আলোকে দি ইন্ডিয়ান অ্যাসোসিয়েশন ফর দ্য কাল্টিভেশন অফ সায়েন্স: একটি পর্যালোচনা”, Bigyan Mela, May-June 2026, pp 4-5.

 

12.   Sthanapati, Jayanta.  "From Vision to Vanguard: IACS in Science Research Revolution," Science Reporter 63 (07) (2026) 21-25.

13.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “गौरवमयी सार्धशतवर्ष के प्रकाश में देश का प्रथम राष्ट्रीय अनुसंधान केंद्र: द इंडियन एसोसिएशन फॉर द कल्टीवेशन ऑफ साइंस”, Vaigyanik, July-September 2026, pp 43-45.

 

 

B.      Science Museums and Planetariums

 

1.       Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Development of Science Museums in India and Training of Curators” Proceedings of the International Seminar on 'Museum Training as Career-long Learning in a Changing World.' Organised by the ICOM Committee for the Training of Personnel. August 5-10, 1990. Smithsonian Institution. Washington, D.C., USA.

 

2.       Sthanapati, Jayanta (Ed.). “Birla Industrial and Technological Museum: 1959-2009”. A Book published by the National Council of Science Museums, Kolkata, India. (2009) 1-71.

 

3.       Sthanapati, Jayanta and Indranil Sanyal. “Fifty Golden Years. BITM – From Dream to Reality” in the Birla Industrial and Technological Museum: 1959-2009. NCSM publication. (2009) 13-29.

 

4.       Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Pioneers of Science Centre Movement” in Nehru Science Centre – Silver Jubilee Celebrations. NCSM publication. (2010) 17-21.

 

5.       Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Science Museums – Human Resource Development – University Collaboration” Journal of the Dept. of Museology, University of Calcutta. Golden Jubilee Special Issue 6-9 (2010) 93-99.

 

6.       Dhaulakhandi, V.N. and Jayanta Sthanapati. “Remembering Ved Prakash Beri: an artist who created one of the early science museums in India” Propagation. 4 (2013) 9-14.

 

7.       Sthanapati, Jayanta. “M.P. Birla planetarium – Fifty Years of Peering at The Skies” Science Reporter 50 (07) (2013) 28-30.

 

8.       Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Beginning of Science Museums and Planetariums in India – Contribution of Ramanatha Subramanian” Propagation 5 (2014) 19-27.

 

9.       Sthanapati, Jayanta and N.T. Kasar. “India’s first Planetarium turns Sixty” Science Reporter 51 (10) (2014) 34-36.

 

10.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “A Brief History of Regional Science Centre Bhubaneswar” Science Horizon (Odisha Bigyan Academy) 4 (8) (2014) 39-43.

 

11.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Planetariums in Girls’ Schools in India” Dream 2047 17 (May 2015) 30-31.

 

12.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Fifty Years of Mobile Science Exhibition in India” Dream 2047 18 (Dec 2015) 33-34.

 

13.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “The Exploratorium exhibits recreated worldwide for outdoor science parks” Propagation 6 (2015) 81-95.

 

14.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “The Physics Playground” Science Reporter 53 (02) (2016) 25-28.

 

15.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Planetariums in India: Domes by the numbers” Planetarian 45 (01) (2016) 48, 53, 54, 56.

 

16.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Mobile Science Exhibition in India: 1965-2014” Journal of the Dept. of Museology, University of Calcutta 11-12 (2016) 40-62.

 

17.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “An interview with Dr S.M. Nair, founder Director of National Museum of Natural History”, Science India (June 2016) 35-39.

 

18.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “When history was gutted” Science Reporter 53 (07) (2016) 21-24.

 

19.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Two Hundred Years of Natural History Museums in India” Dream 2047 19 (Oct 2016) 30-32.

 

20.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “India’s first Science City turns 20” Dream 2047 19 (Nov 2016) 22, 32-34.

 

21.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “National Science Centre turns Twenty-Five” Science Reporter 54 (1) (2017) 44-46.

 

22.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Vigyan Udyan – The First Science Park of Delhi” Souvenir on Silver Jubilee Celebration of National Science Centre Delhi (2017) 31-35.

 

23.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Project Report: History of Science Museums and Planetariums in India.” Indian Journal of History of Science 52.3 (2017) 357-368.

 

24.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Science Museums and Planetariums on Islands of India” Dream 2047 19 (Oct 2017) 32-34.

 

25.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “HAL Aerospace Museum in Bengaluru”. Science Reporter 54 (10) (2017) 22-25.

 

26.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Planetarios na India” (Planetariums in India). Planetaria No. 21 (2018) 12-15. [In Portuguese].

 

27.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “BITM – The Mother Museum Turns Sixty”. Science Reporter 56 (05) (2019) 41-43.

 

28.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “BITM Turns Sixty: A Journey Through History”. Diamond Jubilee publication of BITM (2019) 2-36.

 

29.   Sthanapati, Jayanta (Ed.). “Birla Industrial and Technological Museum: 1959-2019”. A Book published by the National Council of Science Museums, Kolkata, India. (2019) 1-56.

 

30.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Regional Science Centre Bhubaneswar: A Brief History”. 30th Anniversary publication of RSC Bhubaneswar by CRTL of NCSM (2019) 10-25.

 

31.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Dhenkanal Science Centre and Kapilas Science Park Turn Twenty-five”. Science Horizon (Odisha Bigyan Academy), 10 (8) (2020) 33-39.

 

32.   Sthanapati, Jayanta and Gautam Seal. “Saroj Ghose and Museums of Science, Technology and History in India”. A publication of BITM on the occasion of the 85^th Birth Anniversary of Dr Saroj Ghose (2020) 1-16.

 

33.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Dr Saroj Ghose Turns Eighty-Five” (in Bangla). Bijnan Mela, 40 (6) (Sept-Oct 2020) 8.

 

34.   Kumar Samarendra and Jayanta Sthanapati. “The Kurukshetra War – A Panorama in a Science Museum”. Sasthra -The Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 2 (3) (2021) 12-21.

 

35.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Michael Faraday and the Dawn of the Electrical Age”. Sasthra -The Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 2 (5) (2021) 12-19.

 

36.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Bicentenary of Michael Faraday’s Electric Motor”. Dream 2047 24 (Oct 2021) 3-6.

 

37.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Kolkata – The Cradle of Science Museums in India”. Bijnan Mela, March-April 2022. pp 4-7.

 

38.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Science City – Landmark of Kolkata Turns 25”. Science Reporter 59 (07) (2022) 38-41.

 

39.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “The Beginning of Science City Kolkata in My Perspective” Silver Jubilee Publication of Science City Kolkata (2022) 25-28.

 

40.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. "My Reminiscence of Digha Science Centre" Commemorating Silver Jubilee:  Digha Science Centre and National Science Camp 1997-2022 (2022) 9-11.

 

41.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “The Century-Old Mansion in Birla Park: Home to BITM Kolkata” Science Reporter 60 (11) (2023) 32-35.

 

42.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “The Evolution of Science and Technology Museums in India” Sasthra -The Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 5 (2) (2024) 06-14.

 

43.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “BITM – The Birthplace of Science and Technology Museum Movement in India” in ‘Alo Haoaar Sharik: Samar Bagchi Smaran Samkalan’ (in Bangla) Ed. Santanu Chacraverti (2024) 111-119.

 

44.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “The First Science Museum and Planetarium of the CSIR” Science Reporter 61 (07) (2024) 29-30.

 

45.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “The trailblazers from Kolkata who spearheaded the science museum movement in India”, Bijnan Mela, Sep-Oct 2024. pp 14-16.

 

46.   Sthanapati, Jayanta and Nandakumar Kasar. “The Poona Industrial Museum: A 150-year-old unique swadeshi initiative” Sasthra -The Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 6 (2) (2025) 17-23.

 

47.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Dr Saroj Ghose – An Obituary”. Bijnan Mela, May-June 2025. p16.

 

48.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “VITM Bengaluru – Six Decades of Promoting Science to Society” Science Reporter 62 (09) (2025) 15-20.

 

49.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Six Decades of Mobile Science Exhibition in India”, Science Reporter 62 (12) (2025) 26-28.

 

50.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Amalendu Bose – The Visionary Founding Head of BITM, VITM and NCSM” Vigyanodaya, 1 (1), Jan-Mar 2026, pp.21-24.

 

51.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Sound Installations in Gardens Across India” Science Reporter 63 (05) (2026) 31-35.

 

52.   Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Empowering Ocean Literacy: Indian Science Museum Steps Up for the UN Ocean Decade” VIGYAN 2047, 3 (07) (2026) 28-31.

 

 

C.      Magnetic Resonance

 

1.       Dey, D.K., A.K. Ghoshal, J. Sthanapati and A.K. Pal. “Jahn-Teller Effects in EPR of a square-planar copper complex” Physics Letters. 62A (1977) 265-266.

 

2.       Pal, A.K. and J. Sthanapati.  “EPR studies on low-temperature phase of a cooperative Jahn-Teller system” Proc. Nuclear Phys. Solid State Phys. Symposium (India). 22C (1979) 607-608.

 

3.       Ghosal, A.K., D.K. Dey, J. Sthanapati, D. Pal and A.K. Pal. “Single crystal magnetic studies on the γ-form of bis N-methylsalicylaldimine copper (II)”   Physica Status Solidi (a) 65 (1981) K157-161.

 

4.       Sthanapati, J, D.K. De and A.K. Pal. “Studies on phase transitions in cobalt and ferrous fluosilicates by Cu (II) EPR” Physica Status Solidi. (a) 68 (1981) K123-127.

 

5.       Sthanapati, J. and A.K. Pal. “EPR of tetradentate ligand coordinated ethylenebisguanidine copper (II) chloride monohydrate” J. Chem. Phys. 77 (1982) 3289-3290.

 

6.       De, D.K., J. Sthanapati, A.K. Ghoshal and A.K. Pal. “Electron paramagnetic resonance study of copper (II) fluosilicate hexahydrate” J. Magn. Reson.  47 (1982) 181-186.

 

D.      Instrumentation

 

1.    Bose, A., J. Sthanapati, A.K. Ghoshal, D. Pal and A.K. Pal. “A simple, inexpensive cryogenic liquid level controller”, Cryogenics. 14 (1974) 577.

 

2.    Sthanapati, J. and S.N. Bhattacharyya. “An inexpensive temperature regulator for the range 77-300 K”, Cryogenics. 16 (1976) 735.

 

3.       Sthanapati, J., A.K. Ghoshal, D.K. Dey, A.K. Pal and S.N. Bhattacharyya. “An inexpensive phase sensitive detector system for wide-line NMR/ESR Instrumentation” J. Phys. E: Scientific Instruments. 10 (1977) 26-27.

 

4.       Sthanapati, J., A.K. Ghoshal, D.K. Dey, A.K. Pal and S.N. Bhattacharyya. “A current-regulated magnet power supply for magnetic resonance and susceptibility studies” J. Phys. E: Scientific Instruments. 10 (1977) 221-222.

 

Articles Accepted for Publication (up to May 2026):

1.       Sthanapati, Jayanta.  "Cryogenics in India: Mastering the Science of Super Cold",  Science Reporter xx (yy) (202z) aa-bb.

2.       Sthanapati, Jayanta. "Water Wonders: Installations in Science Centres", Vigyanodaya, 1 (x), aaa-bbb 2026, pp. cc-dd.

3.       Sthanapati, Jayanta. "On the Edge? - A Gallery at Science City Kolkata on Climate Change Education.", Vigyan 2047………….

4.      Sthanapati, Jayanta. “Behind the Scenes with Dr Saroj Ghose: A Mentor’s Influence on My Career”, NCSM ………………………

5.      Sthanapati, Jayanta. “A Lifelong Inspiration: Prof. A. Bose and My Scientific Journey”