Asima Chatterjee Image

Asima Chatterjee, born on September 23, 1917, in Calcutta as Asima Mukherjee, was a pioneering Indian scientist in organic chemistry. In 1944, she earned her PhD from the University of Calcutta. From 1947 to 1950, she conducted research at the University of Wisconsin. Upon her return to India in 1950, she focused on the chemistry of Indian medicinal plants. Over nearly sixty years, Chatterjee made significant contributions to medicinal chemistry, concentrating on natural products chemistry. Her research led to the development of anti-convulsive, anti-malarial, and chemotherapy drugs, including the successful anti-epileptic drug, ‘Ayush-56’.

Chatterjee published around 400 papers in national and international journals and served as the Chief Editor of the six-volume series “The Treatise on Indian Medicinal Plants”. She was the first woman elected as the General President of the Indian Science Congress and the first woman to receive the prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award for scientists. Additionally, she was nominated by the President of India as a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1982 to 1990.

Trivia : Asima Chatterjee was the first woman to be awarded a Doctor of Science by an Indian University in 1944.

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