Amulya Chandra Ukil received MBBS and MSPE from the University of Paris, and FSMF (Hons), FCCP and FAS from the University of Calcutta. He was Professor of Botany and Resident Medical Officer, Daulatpur Hindu Academy, Khulna, now in Bangladesh (1914-15); Professor of Bacteriology, National Medical Institute, Kolkata (1921-23); Physician-in-Charge, Chest Department and Principal, Calcutta Medical College and associated hospitals (resigned 1948); and Consulting Physician, Chest Department, Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (till 1963).

Academic and Research Achievements:Ukil, who initially worked on pernicious malaria, will be remembered, however, for his pioneering work on tuberculosis. He studied all aspects of the infection, namely bacteriology, epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, control and prevention, and made original observations and added substantially to our knowledge. A pathogenic anaerobic bacillus bears his name, Bacillus ukilli.

Other Contributions:Ukil gave impetus to popularization of science. With Ukil’s leadership, the compilation of History of Sciences of Indian was started at the Asiatic Society, Kolkata in 1960 under the History of Science Board (now Indian National Commission for History of Science). He was responsible for founding the Indian Institute of Experimental Biology (now Indian Institute of Chemical Biology) at Kolkata. He edited the journal Science & Culture. He served as Sheriff of Kolkata (1955-56), and Member, Central Committee on Tuberculosis, Germany and Scientists Panel, Indian National Planning Commission. He was Corresponding Member, French Pathological Society, Society of Tropical Pathology (Paris), and American College of Chest Physicians.

Award and Honours:Dr Ukil was conferred the Coates Gold Medal (1935), Kaiser-I-Hind Gold Medal (1942), Baraclay Medal by the Asiatic Society (1951), and Gold Medal by Tuberculosis Association of India. The Bengal Tuberculosis Association named an award after him. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, London, Royal Sanitary Institute, London; Chairman, Bengal Tuberculosis Association (1948); and President, All India Tuberculosis Workers’ Conference, Indian Medical Association (1955-56), Asiatic Society (1956), and INSA (1955-56).