The 1974 Padma Bhushan award recognized Bhupati Mohan Sen for a career defined by advancements in theoretical physics and mathematics. Born in 1888 in Rajshahi, a city currently located in Bangladesh, Sen established a distinguished academic trajectory that spanned institutions in both India and England, ultimately leaving a lasting impact on fluid mechanics and quantum theory research.
Early Education and Cambridge Success
Sen attended Rajshahi Collegiate School and Rajshahi College before enrolling at Presidency College, where he earned a B.Sc. in 1908. He completed his M.Sc. at Calcutta University in 1910, ranking first in Applied Mathematics. He relocated to England as a foundation scholar at King's College, Cambridge, studying there between 1911 and 1915. During his time at Cambridge, he achieved the distinction of Senior Wrangler in 1912. In 1914, he became the first Indian to be awarded the Smith's Prize for his academic performance.
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Upon returning to India in 1915, Sen joined the Indian Educational Service. He served as a Professor of Mathematics at Dacca Government College until 1921, followed by a tenure at Dacca University until 1923. He returned to Presidency College in 1923, serving as a Professor of Mathematics until 1930. He was appointed Principal of the same institution in 1934, holding this administrative leadership position until 1943, when he retired from government service.
Contributions to Science and Mathematics
Sen conducted research focusing on differential geometry, hydrodynamics, and modern physics. His work appeared in Nature in 1933, and he published Tidal Oscillation on a Spheroid in the Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society. He authored two books: A New Classical Theory of the Photon and the Electron and Light and Matter: A New Classical Theory of Light and Matter based on the Maxwell Equations and the Special Relativity Theory with criticisms of the existing theories.
Post-Retirement and Academic Involvement
Following his retirement from government service in 1943, Sen continued his commitment to education as a part-time professor of pure mathematics at Presidency College, Calcutta University. He maintained this role until 1954. Beyond his teaching and research, he served as a member of the Governing Body of the Bose Institute, contributing his expertise to the institution's ongoing scientific objectives until his death in 1978.
Fast facts
- Born: 1 March 1888, Rajshahi
- Died: 1978
- Awards: Padma Bhushan (1974), Smith's Prize (1914)
- Alma Mater: Presidency College, Calcutta University, King's College Cambridge
- Senior Wrangler: 1912
- Father: Raj Mohan Sen
- Spouse: Santa Sircar
Questions readers ask
What were the primary research interests of Bhupati Mohan Sen?
His research was concentrated in the fields of differential geometry, hydrodynamics, and modern physics.
