Homi Jahangir Bhabha, considered as the father of India’s nuclear programme, was born on October 30 1909 in a wealthy Parsi family in Mumbai and has once claimed of developing a nuclear bomb in just 18 months.
He was the man who was considered as an eminent scientist of the world. Many countries, even the United States of America, was scared of this scientist who had a thorough knowledge in nuclear science.
In those times, when very few people were studying about nuclear energy, this man visualised the dream of converting nuclear energy to produce electricity. He was also called as Architect of Indian Atomic Energy Programme.
At the age of 18, Bhabha studied mechanical engineering at Cambridge University. Later he developed his interest for physics.
He came to India in 1939 during holidays, but could not return due to the World War-II.
Then in 1940, at the behest of Dr. CV Raman, he joined the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore.
Later Bhabha held important positions in government institutions. During this time, Bhabha persuaded former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to start a nuclear program.
Being a painter, Homi Bhabha was fascinated towards arts and culture. Also he loved classical music and opera.
Homi Bhabha worked with the great physicist, Niels Bohr and had a major role in developing The Quantum Theory. He has been credited with identifying and naming the Meson Particle
In 1955, Homi Bhabha was elected as the 1st chairman of the first United Nations Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy.
Homi Bhabha was the founder and director of leading research institutions of India including the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and another one was Bhabha Atomic Research Centre .
On 24 January 1966, Homi Jahangir Bhabha was flying from Mumbai to New York with Air India’s flight number 101. Then the Boeing 707 aircraft crashed near Mount Blanc hills. All 117 passengers on board, including Bhabha, were killed in the accident.
In fact, in 1965, Bhabha had said in a program of All India Radio that if he gets an exemption, India can make an atomic bomb in 18 months. A few months after his statement, there are many theories and doubts being discussed related to his death.