Synopsis
Upendranath Brahmachari conjured a potent drug to vanquish the deadly scourge of Kala Azar, saving millions from the deadly disease. Ramnath Chopra explored ancient Ayurvedic wisdom to extract a natural compound from Sarpagandha to treat seizures and high blood pressure. Azizul Haque and Hemchandra Bose revolutionized forensics by devising a groundbreaking fingerprint classification system—an achievement so remarkable that, though appropriated by Scotland Yard, it even finds a place in Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Sign of Four. Yelapragadda Subbarow made five monumental discoveries that transformed modern medicine and saved countless lives—yet, in a poignant twist of fate, could not save his own.
These are not mere tales of invention but sagas of relentless pursuit and brilliance. They illuminate the history, struggles, and cultural context of their times, showing how these pioneers reshaped Indian science—and how they proved one enduring truth: the ordinary believe they are great, but the truly great believe they are ordinary.
About the Author
Sheetal Ranganathan is an alumna of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, where she earned her BSc (Hons) in Human Biology and a Master’s in Medical Biotechnology, before pursuing an MBA from the Xavier Institute of Management. With over two decades of corporate experience, she has held leadership roles in global healthcare and biotech organizations. She actively mentors and invests in India’s life sciences start-up ecosystem and is passionate about expanding healthcare access and driving innovation in medical research. Sheetal frequently contributes to discussions on the digitalization of medicine and healthcare delivery, featuring on think-tank panels and television debates. Her op-eds have been published in leading outlets, including Mint, Financial Express, and India Today.
Anand Ranganathan earned his BSc (Hons) in Chemistry from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, before receiving a scholarship to Cambridge, UK, where he obtained his BA (Tripos) in Natural Sciences, MA, and PhD. After a post-doctoral fellowship at Cambridge, he returned to India to join the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Delhi, where he led his lab for 16 years as a Staff Research Scientist. In 2015, he joined the Special Centre for Molecular Medicine at Jawaharlal Nehru University, becoming a full Professor in 2019. His research focuses on Directed Evolution and Pathogenesis, with an emphasis on Tuberculosis and Malaria, and his work has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals, including Nature Communications, Journal of Biological Chemistry, and Journal of Clinical Investigation. Anand is also a prominent public commentator, writing on politics, media, and science for platforms such as Swarajya, Firstpost, DNA, Quartz, and others. He is Consulting Editor at Swarajya and the author of five books: The Land of the Wilted Rose (2012), For Love and Honour (2015), The Rat Eater (2019, co-authored), Soufflé (2023), and Hindus in Hindu Rashtra (2023).
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