Muhammad Qudrat-i-Khuda ( – 3 November 1977) was a Bangladeshi
organic chemist
Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds and organic materials, i.e., matter in its various forms that contain carbon atoms.Clayden, ...
, educationist and writer.
He founded the
Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. From 1969 till 1972, he served as the president of the
Pakistan Academy of Sciences. After the independence of Bangladesh, as a chairman of the National Education Commission, he published a report named ''Qudrat-i-Khuda Education Commission Report''.
[
]
Early life
Born in Margram
Margarm is a village and gram panchayat in Rampurhat II CD Block in Rampurhat subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Geography
Police station
Margarm police station has jurisdiction over Rampurhat II CD Block.
CD ...
village of Birbhum district in Bengal Presidency
The Bengal Presidency, officially the Presidency of Fort William and later Bengal Province, was a subdivision of the British Empire in India. At the height of its territorial jurisdiction, it covered large parts of what is now South Asia and ...
, Qudrat received his early education from the Margram ME High School and Calcutta Woodburn ME School. He passed the matriculation examination from Calcutta Madrasa in 1918 in the first division. In 1924, he obtained the MSc degree in chemistry standing first in first class, from Kolkata Presidency College and was awarded a gold medal for his performance. He received a Premchand Roychand
Premchand Roychand was a 19th-century Indian Jain businessman known as the "Cotton King" and "Bullion King" from Bombay.
Life
Premchand Raichand was born in 1832 in a Porwal Jain family. He was the son of Roychand Dipchand, a merchant from S ...
studentship for higher research in chemistry at Calcutta University
The University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University; CU) is a public collegiate state university in India, located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Considered one of best state research university all over India every year, ...
. He obtained the Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science ( la, links=no, Scientiae Doctor), usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D., or D.S., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries, "Doctor of Science" is the degree used f ...
in 1929 from London University
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
for his research entitled ''Stainless Configuration of Multiplanmet Ring''.
Career
Qudrat began his career as a lecturer in chemistry at Presidency College in 1931 and was promoted to head of the department in 1936. From 1942 to 1944, he served as the principal of Islamia College in Calcutta. He returned to Presidency College in 1946, becoming the principal of the college for a brief period in 1947. At the same time, he was a fellow and a member of the senate of Calcutta University. After the partition of India
The Partition of British India in 1947 was the change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: India and Pakistan. T ...
, he came to East Bengal (Bangladesh) in 1947 and served as the first director of Public Instruction of the Government of East Pakistan from 1947 to 1949. In 1949, he was appointed scientific adviser to the Ministry of Defence of the Government of Pakistan
The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the four provinces, two autonomous territories, ...
. He became the chairman of the Secondary Education Board and served from 1952 to 1955 while serving as faculty member at the Karachi University
The University of Karachi ( sd, ; informally Karachi University, KU, or UoK) is a public research university located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Established in June 1951 by an act of Parliament and as a successor to the University of Sindh (whi ...
. He was appointed the first director of the East Regional Laboratories of the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
The Pakistan Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (PCSIR) ( ur, ) is a government-owned science and industrialisation research organisation which mainly focuses on the development of industrial research.
History
Initially established as ...
in 1955 and established the laboratories in Dhaka. After retirement from directorship in 1966, he was appointed chairman of the 'Kendriya Bangla Unnayan Board' (Central Board for the Development of Bengali).
Qudrat was appointed a visiting professor of chemistry at University of Dhaka
The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently it ...
in 1975 and served until his death on 3 November 1977.[
]
Contribution
Qudrat's field of specialisation was organic chemistry
Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds and organic materials, i.e., matter in its various forms that contain carbon atoms.Clayden, J.; ...
. He conducted research on herbals, jute, salt, charcoal, soil and minerals. He successfully extracted biochemical elements from local trees and plants for medicinal use. Qudrat and his associates patented 18 scientific inventions. Manufacturing of Partex from jute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny bast fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from flowering plants in the genus ''Corchorus'', which is in the mallow family Malvaceae. The primary source of the fiber is ''Corchorus oli ...
-stick was his greatest scientific achievement. Manufacturing malt vinegar from the juice of sugarcane and molasses, Rayon
Rayon is a semi-synthetic fiber, made from natural sources of regenerated cellulose, such as wood and related agricultural products. It has the same molecular structure as cellulose. It is also called viscose. Many types and grades of viscose ...
from jute and jute-sticks, and paper from jute were his other significant scientific innovations.
Qudrat played an important role in popularising Bengali for scientific practices. As such, he wrote a number of books on science and technology in Bengali including ''Bigganer Sarash Kahini'' (Interesting History of Science), ''Bigganer Bichitra Kahini'' (Wonderful History of Science), ''Bigganer Suchana'' (Origin of Science), ''Jaiba Rasayan'' (Organic Chemistry) in four volumes, ''Purba Pakistaner Shilpa Sambhabana'' (Industrial Potentiality of East Pakistan), ''Paramanu Parichiti'' (An Introduction to the Atom) and ''Bigganer Pahela Katha'' (First Word of Science). Two Bengali science magazines ''Purogami Biggan'' (Pioneering Science; 1963) and ''Bigganer Joyjatra'' (The Victory of Science; 1972) were published under his auspices. He also wrote some religious books including ''Pabitra Quraner Puti Kotha O Angari Jaoyara'' (The Holy Sayings of Quran and Angari Jaoyara).
Awards
* Tamgha-e-Pakistan (1973)
* Sitara-e-Imtiaz
The Sitara-e-Imtiaz () also spelled as Sitara-i-Imtiaz, is the third-highest (in the order of "Imtiaz") honour and civilian award in the State of Pakistan. It recognizes individuals who have made an "especially meritorious contribution to the ...
(1972)
* Ekushey Padak
Ekushey Padak ( bn, একুশে পদক; lit. "Twentyfirst Award") is the second highest civilian award in Bangladesh, introduced in memory of the martyrs of the Bengali Language Movement of 1952. The award is given to recognize contribut ...
(1976)
* Independence Day Award
The Independence Day Award ( bn, স্বাধীনতা পদক), also termed Independence Award ( bn, স্বাধীনতা পুরস্কার), Swadhinata Padak, and Swadhinata Puroskar, is the highest state award given by t ...
(1984)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Qudrat-I-Khuda, Muhammad
1900s births
1977 deaths
People from Birbhum district
Bengali chemists
Bangladeshi chemists
Bengali scientists
Bangladeshi scientists
University of Karachi faculty
Pakistan Army civilians
Recipients of Sitara-i-Imtiaz
Recipients of the Ekushey Padak
Recipients of the Independence Day Award
Fellows of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences
Fellows of Pakistan Academy of Sciences
Date of birth missing
Aliah University alumni
Alumni of the University of London
University of Calcutta alumni
Presidents of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences