Indian Scientist
Birbal Sahni (14
November 1891 – 10 April 1949) was an Indian paleobotanist who
studied the fossils of the Indian
subcontinent, was also a geologist who took an interest in archaeology. He founded the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany in Lucknow, India. His greatest contributions lie in the study of
botany of the plants of India as well as paleobotany. Apart from writing numerous
influential papers on these topics he also served as the President of the National Academy of Sciences, India and
as an Honorary President of the International
Botanical Congress, Stockholm. He died on 10 April 1949.
The third son of Ishwar Devi and Lala Ruchi Ram Sahni, Birbal
Sahni was born in Bhera, Shahpur District, West Punjab, on 14
November 1891. Among the frequent guests of his parents were Motilal Nehru, Gopal
Krishna Gokhale,Sarojini Naidu, and Madan Mohan Malaviya. He was also influenced into science by his grandfather
who owned a banking business at Dera Ismail Khanand conducted
amateur research in chemistry. He got his
early education in India at Government College University, Lahore (where
his father worked) andPunjab University (1911). He learnt botany under S.
R. Kashyap. He graduated from Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1914. He
later studied under Professor A. C. Seward, and was awarded the DSc degree
of theUniversity of London in 1919.
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