Penguin Random House India Forgotten Heroes of Indian Science

Upendranath Brahmachari conjured a potent drug to vanquish the deadly scourge of Kala Azar, saving millions from the deadly disease. Ramnath Chopra explored ancient Ayurvedic wisdom to extract a natural compound from Sarpagandha to treat seizures and high blood pressure. Azizul Haque and Hemchandra Bose revolutionized forensics by devising a groundbreaking fingerprint classification system—an achievement so remarkable that, though appropriated by Scotland Yard, it even finds a place in Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Sign of Four. Yelapragadda Subbarow made five monumental discoveries that transformed modern medicine and saved countless lives—yet, in a poignant twist of fate, could not save his own. These are not mere tales of invention but sagas of relentless pursuit and brilliance. They illuminate the history, struggles, and cultural context of their times, showing how these pioneers reshaped Indian science—and how they proved one enduring truth: the ordinary believe they are great, but the truly great believe they are ordinary. Autorid: Anand Ranganathan, Sheetal Ranganathan