Jagadis Chandra Bose did his DSc (1896) from the University of London, UK. His specialization was in optics, electromagnetic radiation and plant physiology. He was Professor of Physics (1885-15), Emeritus Professor (1915-17), Presidency College, Kolkata; and Founder Director, Bose Institute, Kolkata (1918-37).

Academic and Research Achievements: Bose was interested in electric wave investigations. He produced a compact apparatus for generating electromagnetic waves of wavelengths 25 to 5 mm and studied their quasi-optical properties, such as refraction, polarization and double refraction. These could be demonstrated by his compact apparatus mounted on an ordinary spectrometer table. The most satisfactory polarizers and analyzers were made out of pressed jute fibres or books with laminated pages. He could even produce rotation of plane of polarization by transmission of electric rays through a bundle of twisted jute fibres. The originality and simplicity of his apparatus were its remarkable features. Bose's research on response in living and non-living led to some significant findings. In some animal tissues like muscles, stimulation produces change in form as well as electrical excitation, while in other tissues (nerves or retina), stimulation by light produces electric changes only, but no change of form. He showed that not only animal but vegetable tissues under different kinds of stimuli — mechanical, application of heat, electric shock, chemicals, drugs — produced similar electric responses. He also showed a similar electric response to stimulation in certain inorganic systems. In his plant physiological investigations, Bose started with the assumption that in plants, as in animals, the underlying protoplasmic matter had the same fundamental properties of irritability, contractility, conductivity, and rhythmicity.

Awards and Honours: Bose was President of Indian Science Congress Association (1928). He was a Fellow of Royal Society of London; and Corresponding Member of Vienna Academy of Sciences.

Indian National Science Academy has instituted 'The Jagadis Chandra Bose Medal' in his honour.