Dr P M Bhargava, eminent scientist and founder-director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB),in Hyderabad, died Tuesday after a brief illness, Hyderabad.
He was 89 and is survived by two children.
Pushpa Mittra Bhargava was born on February 22, 1928. He was a pioneer in the field of biotechnology in India and among the first persons to use the term “genetic engineering”.
Bhargava was instrumental in the formation of the Department of Biotechnology in the ’70s.
He was also chairman of Medically Aware and Responsible Citizens of Hyderabad, Sambhavna Trust, Bhopal, and Basic Research, Education and Development Society (BREAD), New Delhi.
He served as vice-chairman of the National Knowledge Commission between 2005 and 2007.
Bhargava received over 100 national and international honours and awards.
He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1986 but returned it in 2015 citing “matters of principle”. He was honoured with the Legion d’honneur in 1998.
He is popularly known as the architect of modern biology in India.
Bhargava delivered thousands of lectures, wrote more than 550 popular articles, six books and published more than 125 scientific papers.
‘PMB Memoirs: Nine decades of PM Bhargava’ is an online archive of the nine decades of his work. The memoirs have been divided into nine volumes.
His interests and engagements covered science as well as art and culture and their relation to society. He remained engaged in social issues, particularly those relating to the impact of science on society in India and the world.
His extraordinary energy and commitment will continue to always inspire scientists in future endeavours, said an official press release.
Several scientists expressed condolences to Dr Bhargava’s daughter Vaneeta, son Mohit, and the family. The staff at CCMB expressed sadness at his demise.
Bhargava’s pioneering vision and efforts led to the founding of CCMB in 1977 as an institution for research in basic biology and for seeking its application for the benefit of society.
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