Sivatosh Mookerjee Science Centre
The Science Center was founded on March 23, 1994 in the memory of Professor Sivatosh Mookerjee, an eminent scientist and professor of Presidency College, Calcutta and Jawarharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. The centre is the science component of the Institute, its main purpose being, to bring together scientists and scholars of different disciplines for interaction and cross-fertilization of ideas. It regularly organizes lectures, debates, seminars and workshops for diffusion of knowledge to non-scientists and educated lay persons. The centre conducted UGC-sponsored refreshers courses for University and College teachers. It arranges for seminars, symposia, international and national conferences and workshops. It also publishes useful and relevant materials, books, papers and reports.
Professor Sivatosh Mookerjee an eminent scientist, son of Justice Rama Prasad Mookerjee, Smt. Tara Devi, and grandson of Sir Asutosh Mookerjee, graduated from Presidency College in Zoology Honors and received M.Sc. Degree from Calcutta University in the same field. He was Awarded Ph.D from Ediburgh University and started his teaching carrier (1953) in his Alma Mater, Presidency College. He became Professor of Zoology at the age of 27. In 1972, he joined Jwaharlal Nehru University in the school of life Science and pursued teaching and research. He retired in October 1989 and in 1990 was appointed as an Emeritus Professor in the same school of life science.
In the 60’s of the 20th century he was invited as a Visiting Professor by Rockefeller University. He was one of the pioneer Scientist in the field of Biological Sciences and was showered with many accolades- awarded with Sir Dorab TATA gold medal by Zoological Society of India, Joy Govinda Medal from Asiatic society of Bengal etc. He delivered Dr. B.C. Roy memorial lectures at Chittaranjan Cancer research centre and Hara Swarup Memorial Oration.
Apart from his brilliant carrier in science he was equally bright and creative in the field of literature. He kept up the lofty tradition of his grandfather Sir Asutosh by upholding the honour of the mother language Bengali by writing popular science books and others like Apur Uttarayan, Labonyar Anatomy, Dikbidik, Manhattan O Martini, Asaa Jaoar Pather Dhare, etc.
Shyama Prasad Foundation was started after his the untimely and tragic demise in detention in Kashmir (1953). The Foundation entirely concentrates on search, documentation and publication on the life and contributions of Dr. S.P. Mookerjee to modern Indian History. Its first publication was the Educational Speeches of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee with foreword by Prof. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Revised and supplemented second edition has been published in 2018 from AMMI.
Rama Prasad Children Library
There was no
library in the locality meant for young children only. To serve this urgent need, the library was
founded in 1984 in the memory of Justice Ramaprasad Mookerjee. It also holds
English language classes and offers young subscribers the facilities to learn
spoken English, elocution, drawing, and craft and also computer lessons given
by the Institute’s computer centre. Prizes and certificates are awarded after
completion of annual examination. The library has its own cultural activities
for and by the children.