Pattipati Ramaiah Naidu

Born: 3 June 1904

Died: 6 June 1991

• He was a pioneering Indian nuclear Physicist, Medical Scientist, and Radiologist who helped to establish the foundations of medical physics.
• He is better known for working under double Nobel Laureate, Marie Curie, for his post-doctoral thesis in Paris, France, and pioneer in establishing up Radiology laboratory in India in 1938.
• During the World War II years, the process of decommissioning and re-commissioning the radon plant led to his bone marrow getting damaged and he developed artificial cancer due to his overexposure to radium.
• Essentially, he was advised to move away from radiation-related jobs.
• In 1948, the Tata Trust sent him and his family to Switzerland for treatment.
• He recovered from the radium overexposure and bone marrow damage.
• Thereafter, he joined UNESCO in Paris as Programme Specialist in the Department of Natural Science where he initiated and implemented several projects for the improvement of science education.
• In 1955, on the request of the Government of India Naidu transferred to India as Scientific director of UNESCO, South East Asia.
• During 1957 – 59, he worked with the All India Council for Secondary Education as Field Adviser.

Click here for more details