Prof Bhide, small man with tall stature
He was a small man in height but had a very tall stature. He was a scientist par excellence and gave the country some of the best works
in solid state Physics. On one hand he initiated some of the programmes on development of new sources of energy and on the other hand he got down to the level of young students promoting scientific attitude in them through non conventional teaching and experimentation.
He was also an excellent teacher who simplified difficult concepts to an extent that even non science students could understand them. He was a symbol of devotion, dedication and duty.
These were some of the remarks made by S K Date, Adjunct Professor, Physics Department, University of Poona about Prof V G Bhide, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Poona here on Saturday while speaking to TOI. Date was in the city to deliver the annual Bhide memorial lecture at National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (Neeri).
Going down memory lane remembering various interactions and lessons taught by Prof Bhide during his graduation and post graduation in Physics at the Institute of Science, Bombay University, Date narrated a number of incidents that had lasting effect on his personality..
"I remember we were three students who had to record data every ten hours. Prof Bhide who lived across the department in quarters would come to the department in the middle of the night along with his wife and help us record data. We would even go to his house at night, eat and sleep there. His house was a gurukul to us," said Date describing some of the most intimate instances of his life with Bhide.
"His love for science sometimes even diverted him from his core work of research and teaching which was not liked by many of us. But now when we look at young students trying their hands on certain basic science experiments at the Exploratory' at Senapati Bapat road in Pune, we realise his contribution to science learning," he added.
Both Prof Bhide and Date happened to be teacher and student also worked together as scientists at the National Physics Laboratory (NPL), New Delhi. It was Prof Bhide who initiated research work on alternative sources of energy at NPL in 1970's during crude oil crisis.
"He suggested research on new energy sources as well as new materials associated with these energy at that time and the subject remains as relevant today. Looking at the energy crunch now country needs to not just explore new sources of energy like nuclear but also materials like titanium etc associated with reactors and other infrastructure for a nuclear power reactor," Date added.
He was a small man in height but had a very tall stature. He was a scientist par excellence and gave the country some of the best works
in solid state Physics. On one hand he initiated some of the programmes on development of new sources of energy and on the other hand he got down to the level of young students promoting scientific attitude in them through non conventional teaching and experimentation.
He was also an excellent teacher who simplified difficult concepts to an extent that even non science students could understand them. He was a symbol of devotion, dedication and duty.
These were some of the remarks made by S K Date, Adjunct Professor, Physics Department, University of Poona about Prof V G Bhide, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Poona here on Saturday while speaking to TOI. Date was in the city to deliver the annual Bhide memorial lecture at National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (Neeri).
Going down memory lane remembering various interactions and lessons taught by Prof Bhide during his graduation and post graduation in Physics at the Institute of Science, Bombay University, Date narrated a number of incidents that had lasting effect on his personality..
"I remember we were three students who had to record data every ten hours. Prof Bhide who lived across the department in quarters would come to the department in the middle of the night along with his wife and help us record data. We would even go to his house at night, eat and sleep there. His house was a gurukul to us," said Date describing some of the most intimate instances of his life with Bhide.
"His love for science sometimes even diverted him from his core work of research and teaching which was not liked by many of us. But now when we look at young students trying their hands on certain basic science experiments at the Exploratory' at Senapati Bapat road in Pune, we realise his contribution to science learning," he added.
Both Prof Bhide and Date happened to be teacher and student also worked together as scientists at the National Physics Laboratory (NPL), New Delhi. It was Prof Bhide who initiated research work on alternative sources of energy at NPL in 1970's during crude oil crisis.
"He suggested research on new energy sources as well as new materials associated with these energy at that time and the subject remains as relevant today. Looking at the energy crunch now country needs to not just explore new sources of energy like nuclear but also materials like titanium etc associated with reactors and other infrastructure for a nuclear power reactor," Date added.