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Scientist Meghnad Saha

Updated: May 10, 2023

From the publication of Dr.Meghnad Saha's Thermal Ionization Equation in 1920 (Ionization Equation) until 1938, almost all the research done in astrophysics has been influenced by Saha's equation.
Dr Meghnad Saha
Dr Meghnad Saha

Dr. Meghnad Saha FRS (October 6, 1893 - February 18, 1956) was an astrophysicist famous in physics. And the founder of the Theory of Thermal Ionization. The ionization equation he discovered explains the chemical and physical properties of stars. Professor Meghnad Saha is one of the founders of modern astrophysics, not just in the Indian subcontinent but the whole world of science.


From the publication of Dr. Meghnad Saha's Thermal Ionization Equation in 1920 (Ionization Equation) to 1937, almost all the research done in astrophysics was influenced by Saha's equation. The famous Norwegian astrophysicist Sevin Roseland has explicitly mentioned this in his book "Theoretical Astrophysics," published at Oxford University. Meghnad Saha has earned the respect and love of many world-renowned scientists through his work.

Dr. Meghnad Saha as a student
Dr Meghnad Saha as a student

The scholar was born on October 6, 1893, in the village of Sheoratli in Kaliakair Upazila of Gazipur district. His father's name was Jagannath Saha, and his mother was Bhubaneswari Devi. Meghnad was their fifth child. Jagannath Saha was a grocer. From childhood, he had to grow up in a world of poverty.


Meghnad's education started in the village. The village had no school above the third standard. However, due to tremendous results in mathematics, his teachers recommended that this brilliant should be sent to an English school. Meghnad completed his schooling at Dhaka Collegiate School and later studied at Dhaka College. He was a classmate of Satyendra Nath Bose and Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis at Calcutta Presidency College and Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose and Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy.


Dr. Meghnad Saha's research topics were nuclear science, ionosphere, calendar reform, flood prevention, and river planning. His discovery of the theory of thermal ionization played an essential role in astrophysics.


Calcutta University published the translation of Einstein's book The Principles of Relativity in 1920 in a joint effort of scientists Saha and Satyendranath Bose, one of the Groundbreaking Research texts. Albert Einstein said of Meghnad Saha 'Dr. M.N Shaha has won an honored name in the whole scientific world.'

This PDF file is helpful for those who are doing a thesis on Dr. Meghnad Saha and his work:
 
 

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