Dr. D. S. Kothari was born in Udaipur in Rajasthan on 6 July 1906. He had his early education at Udaipur and Indore and received a master's degree in physics from Allahabad University in 1928 under guidance of Meghnad Saha. For his PhD, Kothari worked at the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge under the supervision of Ernest Rutherford, to whom he was recommended by Meghnad Saha.
After his return to India, he worked at the Delhi University from 1934 to 1961 in various capacities as reader, professor and Head of the Department of Physics. He was scientific advisor to Ministry of Defence from 1948 to 1961 and was then appointed as chairman of the University Grants Commission in 1961 where he worked till 1973. He was the chairman of the Indian Education Commission of 1964-66, popularly known as Kothari Commission, which was the first ad hoc commission set up in India for the modernization and standardization of education in India.
D. S. Kothari was president of the Indian Science Congress at its golden jubilee session in 1963. He was elected President of Indian National Science Academy in 1973. His research on statistical thermodynamics and his Theory of White Dwarf Stars gave him an international reputation.
The Padma Bhushan was conferred on him in 1962, and the Padma Vibhushan in 1973. He was also listed as a "Proud Past Alumni" by the "Allahabad University Alumni Association.
No comments:
Post a Comment