Krityunjai Prasad Sinha
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Krityunjai Prasad Sinha (born 5 July 1929) is an Indian theoretical physicist and an emeritus professor of Indian Institute of Science. Known for his research in
solid state physics Solid-state physics is the study of rigid matter, or solids, through methods such as quantum mechanics, crystallography, electromagnetism, and metallurgy. It is the largest branch of condensed matter physics. Solid-state physics studies how the l ...
and
cosmology Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount (lexicographer), Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', and in 1731 taken up in ...
, Sinha is an elected fellow of all the three major Indian science academies – the Indian National Science Academy, the Indian Academy of Sciences, and the
National Academy of Sciences, India The National Academy of Sciences, India, established in 1930, is the oldest science academy in India. It is located in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. Prof. Meghnad Saha was the founder president. Fellows *Suddhasatwa Basu * Sudha Bhattacharya * Ch ...
. In 1974, the
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (IAST: ''vaigyanik tathā audyogik anusandhāna pariṣada''), abbreviated as CSIR, was established by the Government of India in September 1942 as an autonomous body that has emerged as the l ...
, the apex agency of the Government of India for scientific research, awarded him the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology, one of the highest Indian science awards, for his contributions to physical sciences.


Biography

Born in Akhtiyarpur, in the Indian state of
Bihar Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Be ...
, KP Sinha passed his matriculation examination in 1944 and completed the intermediate studies in 1946 before joining
Allahabad University , mottoeng = "As Many Branches So Many Trees" , established = , type = Public , chancellor = Ashish Chauhan , vice_chancellor = Sangita Srivastava , head_label ...
to earn a BSc in 1948. Subsequently, on completion of his MSc in 1950 from the same institution, he enrolled at
Savitribai Phule Pune University Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), formerly the University of Poona, is a collegiate public state university located in the city of Pune, India. It was established in 1949, and is spread over a campus in the neighbourhood of Ganeshk ...
for his doctoral studies under the guidance of GI Finch and secured a PhD in solid state physics in 1956. Moving to the UK, Sinha did his post-doctoral work at the laboratory of
Maurice Henry Lecorney Pryce Maurice Henry Lecorney Pryce (24 January 1913 – 24 July 2003) was a British physicist. Pryce was born in Croydon to an Anglo-Welsh father and French mother, and in his teens attended the Royal Grammar School, Guildford. After a few months in ...
during 1957-59, and his studies there in theoretical physics earned him a second PhD from the
University of Bristol , mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'') , established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter , type ...
in 1965. In 1959, Sinha had returned to India to join the
National Chemical Laboratory The National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) is an Indian government laboratory based in Pune, in western India. Popularly known as NCL, a constituent member of the CSIR India, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) India, it was estab ...
as a group leader at the ''Solid State and Molecular Physics Unit''. He carried out research there until 1968, when he had an opportunity to join
Bell Labs Nokia Bell Labs, originally named Bell Telephone Laboratories (1925–1984), then AT&T Bell Laboratories (1984–1996) and Bell Labs Innovations (1996–2007), is an American industrial research and scientific development company owned by mult ...
in
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
. Sinha's stay at the Murray Hill facility lasted two years. On his return to India in 1970, he joined the Indian Institute of Science as a senior professor at the department of physics, commencing a service which would last over three and a half decades. During this period, Sinha chaired a number of divisions such as the Division of Applied Mathematics (1971-73 and 1975-77) and the Centre for Theoretical Studies (1972-73 and 1981-87) for two terms each, and the Division of Physics and Mathematics from 1972 to 1976. On his superannuation from regular service in 1990, Sinha continued his association with IISc as a senior scientist of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) during 1990-93, as a distinguished scientist of the
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (IAST: ''vaigyanik tathā audyogik anusandhāna pariṣada''), abbreviated as CSIR, was established by the Government of India in September 1942 as an autonomous body that has emerged as the l ...
from 1996 to 1998, and as an INSA honorary scientist since 2006. Besides holding the directorship of the ''Institute of Fundamental Research on Complex System'' of
North Eastern Hill University North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) is a Central University established on 19 July 1973 by an Act of the Indian Parliament. The university is in the suburb of Shillong, the state capital of Meghalaya, India. The university has two campuses: S ...
during 1991-94, Sinha had two sabbaticals, starting with a summer stint at Lyman Laboratory of Physics of
Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
in 1999. Later, he was associated with
Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Draper Laboratory is an American non-profit research and development organization, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts; its official name is The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc (sometimes abbreviated as CSDL). The laboratory specialize ...
as a consultant and with
Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...
as a visiting scientist, both assignments running concurrently from 2000 to 2003. Sinha also served as a visiting faculty at
International Centre for Theoretical Physics The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) is an international research institute for physical and mathematical sciences that operates under a tripartite agreement between the Italian Government, United Nations Education ...
on four occasions (1970, 72, 76 and 83), at H. H. Wills Physics Lab of
University of Bristol , mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'') , established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter , type ...
and Cavendish Laboratory of
University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
during 1977-78, at
University of Grenoble The Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA, French: meaning "''Grenoble Alps University''") is a public research university in Grenoble, France. Founded in 1339, it is the third largest university in France with about 60,000 students and over 3,000 resea ...
and
University of Paris , image_name = Coat of arms of the University of Paris.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of Arms , latin_name = Universitas magistrorum et scholarium Parisiensis , motto = ''Hic et ubique terrarum'' (Latin) , mottoeng = Here and a ...
in 1983 and 1984, at
Institute for Physical Problems P. L. Kapitza Institute for Physical ProblemsNamed after Pyotr Kapitsa. (russian: Институт физических проблем имени П. Л. Капицы РАН) of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The institute was founded in 1934. T ...
and Institute of Theoretical Physics, Goteborg in 1986 and
University of Western Ontario The University of Western Ontario (UWO), also known as Western University or Western, is a Public university, public research university in London, Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land, surrounded by resident ...
during 1987-88). Sinha, who holds the position of emeritus professor of the Indian Institute of Science since his superannuation, lives in Dollars Colony, in
Bengaluru Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
.


Legacy

Sinha's theoretical work covered various aspects of solid state physics and he has made significant contributions in the field of crystal magnetism. His early work during his doctoral and post-doctoral days was based on
condensed matter theory Condensed matter physics is the field of physics that deals with the macroscopic and microscopic physical properties of matter, especially the solid and liquid phases which arise from electromagnetic forces between atoms. More generally, the su ...
,
semiconductors A semiconductor is a material which has an electrical resistivity and conductivity, electrical conductivity value falling between that of a electrical conductor, conductor, such as copper, and an insulator (electricity), insulator, such as glas ...
, quantum well, Cold Fusion, phonons, and photon-induced effects in solids. Later, Sinha worked on the origin of giant
magnetic moment In electromagnetism, the magnetic moment is the magnetic strength and orientation of a magnet or other object that produces a magnetic field. Examples of objects that have magnetic moments include loops of electric current (such as electromagnets ...
s as well as
exciton An exciton is a bound state of an electron and an electron hole which are attracted to each other by the electrostatic Coulomb force. It is an electrically neutral quasiparticle that exists in insulators, semiconductors and some liquids. The ...
and
electron The electron ( or ) is a subatomic particle with a negative one elementary electric charge. Electrons belong to the first generation of the lepton particle family, and are generally thought to be elementary particles because they have no kn ...
phase transitions in solids, and developed an electronic pairing mechanism related to
bosons In particle physics, a boson ( ) is a subatomic particle whose spin quantum number has an integer value (0,1,2 ...). Bosons form one of the two fundamental classes of subatomic particle, the other being fermions, which have odd half-integer spi ...
and biexcitons for predicting the phenomenon of photon. He elucidated
superconductivity Superconductivity is a set of physical properties observed in certain materials where electrical resistance vanishes and magnetic flux fields are expelled from the material. Any material exhibiting these properties is a superconductor. Unlike ...
at high temperatures by way of a non-equilibrium mechanism and also developed a statistical theory on the origin of ferroelectricity and structural phase transitions induced by cooperative Jahn-Teller effect; his work on the magnetism is described in one of his books. The
luminescence Luminescence is spontaneous emission of light by a substance not resulting from heat; or "cold light". It is thus a form of cold-body radiation. It can be caused by chemical reactions, electrical energy, subatomic motions or stress on a cryst ...
efficiency of solids, Ricci scalar curvature, super strong gravity, singularity free cosmology, and low energy nuclear reactions are some other areas he has worked on. Sinha's studies have been documented by way of a number of articles, and online article repositories such as
Google Scholar Google Scholar is a freely accessible web search engine that indexes the full text or metadata of scholarly literature across an array of publishing formats and disciplines. Released in beta in November 2004, the Google Scholar index includes p ...
and
ResearchGate ResearchGate is a European commercial social networking site for scientists and researchers to share papers, ask and answer questions, and find collaborators. According to a 2014 study by ''Nature'' and a 2016 article in ''Times Higher Education'' ...
have listed many of them. He has published 6 books which included ''Foundry Technology'', ''Interactions in magnetically ordered solids'', ''Aspects of Gravitational Interactions'', ''High Temperature Superconductivity: Current Results and Novel Mechanisms'' and ''Magnetic superconductors: recent developments''. and has contributed chapters to books published by others His work has also drawn citations from a number of authors. and he has supervised the doctoral and post doctoral studies of 45 scholars. Sinha is credited with initiating theoretical studies on condensed matter at a number of institutions in India and delivered the ''Deshmukh lecture'' of the
University of Nagpur Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU), formerly Nagpur University, is a public state university located in Nagpur, Maharashtra. It is one of India's oldest universities, as well as the second oldest in Maharashtra. It is named a ...
in 1995. He was an invited speaker at the 8th and 10th sessions of
International Conference on Cold Fusion The International Conference on Cold Fusion (ICCF) (also referred to as Annual Conference on Cold Fusion in 1990-1991 and mostly as International Conference on Condensed Matter Nuclear Science since 2007) is an annual or biennial conference on the ...
. Sinha served as the chapter chair of the Indian Physics Association during 1971-73 and as the president of Indian Cryogenic Council from 1990 to 1993. He is a member of the
Indian Science Congress Association Indian Science Congress Association(ISCA) is a premier scientific organisation of India with headquarters at Kolkata, West Bengal. The association started in the year 1914 in Kolkata and it meets annually in the first week of January. It has a ...
,
American Physical Society The American Physical Society (APS) is a not-for-profit membership organization of professionals in physics and related disciplines, comprising nearly fifty divisions, sections, and other units. Its mission is the advancement and diffusion of k ...
, International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation, Society for Scientific Values, New York Academy of Sciences and
American Association for the Advancement of Science The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is an American international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific respons ...
.


Awards and honors

Sinha, a founder fellow of the Indian Cryogenic Council, was elected as a fellow by the Indian Academy of Sciences in 1971 and he was selected as a national professor by the University Grants Commission of India in 1972, a post he held for one year. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research awarded him the
Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology (SSB) is a science award in India given annually by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for notable and outstanding research, Applied science, applied or Fundamenta ...
, one of the highest Indian science awards in 1974. Sinha received the Award for excellence in Physics of
Maharishi University of Management Maharishi International University (MIU), formerly Maharishi University of Management, is a private university in Fairfield, Iowa. It was founded in 1973 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and features a "consciousness-based education" system that includes ...
in 1975 and H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory of
University of Bristol , mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'') , established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter , type ...
honored him with the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1977. The elected fellowships of the Indian National Science Academy and the National Academy of Sciences, India reached him in 1979 and 1982 respectively. Two years later, Sinha received the Platinum Jubilee Distinguished Alumnus Award of the Indian Institute of Science. ''World Who's Who in Science from Antiquity to the Present'' has been featuring Sinha since its 1976-77 edition.


Selected bibliography


Books

* * * * *


Chapters

* * *


Articles

* * * * *


See also

* Quantum well * Spontaneous symmetry breaking


Notes


References


External links

* *


Further reading

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sinha, Krityunjai Prasad 1929 births Scientists from Bihar Indian theoretical physicists Indian technology writers University of Allahabad alumni Savitribai Phule Pune University alumni Alumni of the University of Bristol Scientists at Bell Labs North-Eastern Hill University Harvard University alumni Massachusetts Institute of Technology faculty Academics of the University of Cambridge Academic staff of Grenoble Alpes University Academic staff of the University of Paris University of Western Ontario faculty Recipients of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in Medical Science Fellows of the Indian Academy of Sciences Fellows of the Indian National Science Academy Fellows of The National Academy of Sciences, India Living people Academics of the University of Bristol Rare earth scientists