Surath Kumar Mukherjee obtained his MBBS (1946) and DPhil (1957) from University of Calcutta specializing in endocrinology, metabolic disorders and toxicology. He served as the Scientist, Deputy Director, and Head, Division of Toxicology & Experimental Medicine and Emeritus Scientist, CSIR all at Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow. He was a Visiting Professor, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Science and Research, Chandigarh (1973).

Academic and Research Achievements: Mukherjee established a direct relationship between obesity and diabetes mellitus in CF strain rats and correlated Insulin synthesis to induction of ?-cathepsin and Iysozomal acid phosphatase. He discovered a novel synthetic hypoglycemic compound (2-piperizine-4 (3H)-quinazolinone monoacetate, centpiperalone). A very potent hypoglycemic fraction isolated from Swertia chirayita was found acting by insulin release as by centpiperalone. Contributed significantly in advancing research on drug toxicology at Central Drug Research Institute.

Other Contributions: Mukherjee was a UNIDO Consultant on Toxicology (1991) and served on the editorial boards of Indian Journal of Physiology, Allied Sciences, Journal of Educational Research, Indian Med, International Journal of Toxicology, Occupational and Environmental Health.

Awards and Honours: Mukherjee was a President, Physiology Section, Indian Congress (1972) and the recipient of PP Surya Kumar Prize (Indian Pharmacological Society) (1980). SC Mahalanobis Memorial Lecture, Physiological Society of India; NM Basu Memorial Lecture, Indian Science Congress (1985); Dr Amulya Lecture, University of Calcutta (1972), Platinum Jubilee Lecture, Indian Science Congress (1989). He was a Fellow, National Academy of Medical Sciences (India) and All Indian Institute of Diabetes.