Meghnad Saha Biography
(Indian Astrophysicist Who Developed the ‘Saha Ionisation Equation’ and ‘Thermal Ionisation’)
Birthday: October 6, 1893 (Libra)
Born In: Bangladesh
Meghnad Saha was an eminent Indian astrophysicist who gave the world the theory of ionization which explained the origin of stellar spectra. By becoming one of the world’s most renowned scientists of his time, Meghnad Saha came a long way from his humble beginnings in a small village. Born into a poor family, he struggled to get primary education. But the brilliant and hard working boy never gave up and rose to the heights of fame and glory through his unrelenting dedication and commitment towards science. Fate also played a role in his development as a scientist as he had the good fortune of being taught by prestigious teachers like Jagadish Chandra Bose and Prafulla Chandra Ray. He passed his college exams with honours and found a job in the University College of Science, Calcutta. He started his research at a time when he didn’t even have access to a well equipped laboratory or a research guide. Yet he went on to propound what became known as the Saha equation which is used to describe the chemical and physical conditions in stars.