2009 - Homi Bhabha Birth Centenary | Commemorative Coin

The 4th commemorative coin for the year 2009 was released on occasion of Birth Centenary of Homi Bhabha.

Homi Jehangir Bhabha (30 October 1909 – 24 January 1966) was an eminent Indian nuclear physicist and the chief architect behind the inception of India's atomic energy program. His enduring legacy includes the establishment of two renowned research institutions: the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) and the Atomic Energy Establishment at Trombay, later renamed the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in his honor following his demise.

As a distinguished scientist, Bhabha is celebrated for formulating the correct expression for the probability of positron-electron scattering, a phenomenon now recognized as Bhabha scattering. Acknowledged as the father of India's nuclear program, Bhabha played a pivotal role in steering the country's advancements in atomic energy. During World War II, which erupted in September 1939 while Bhabha was in India, he chose to stay and contribute to his homeland. Taking a position at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, under the leadership of Nobel laureate C. V. Raman, Bhabha founded the Cosmic Ray Research Unit and delved into the theory of point particle movement.

In 1945, he established the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Bombay and, three years later, founded the Atomic Energy Commission of India. Throughout the 1950s, Bhabha represented India in International Atomic Energy Forums and served as the President of the United Nations Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1955. In recognition of his contributions, he was honored with the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 1954. Subsequently, he served as a member of the Indian Cabinet's Scientific Advisory Committee and initiated the Indian National Committee for Space Research in collaboration with Vikram Sarabhai.

In a tragic turn of events, Bhabha met his untimely demise in a plane crash near Mont Blanc in January 1966. He was en route to Vienna, Austria, to attend a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's Scientific Advisory Committee. His extraordinary contributions to science and nation-building continue to be remembered and revered.

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