Darshan Ranganathan (1941–2001) was an Indian organic chemist. She is known for making important contributions towards “protein folding”. She was also known for important work in areas such as supramolecular assemblies, molecular design, chemical simulation of key biological processes, and synthesis of functional hybrid peptides and synthesis of nanotubes. Darshan Ranganathan died in 2001 due to breast cancer.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Darshan Ranganathan was born as Darshan Markan on Wednesday, 4 June 1941 (age 60 at the time of death) in New Delhi, British India (now India). His zodiac sign is Gemini. She had her schooling at Arya Samaj Girls’ Primary School, Delhi from 1946 to 1951, after which she attended Indraprastha Higher Secondary School, Delhi from 1951 to 1958. Darshan received his PhD in Chemistry from Delhi University in 1967 under Professor TR Seshadri. She was also teaching Chemistry at Miranda College, Delhi University while pursuing her PhD. In 1966, Darshana Ranganathan won a Senior Research Scholarship to the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 and went to Imperial College, London, where she worked with Professor DHR Barton.
A young Darshan Ranganathan
Physical Appearance
Height (Approx): 5′ 5″
Hair Color: Black
Eye colour: black
Family
parents and siblings
Darshan Ranganathan’s father is Shanti Swaroop Markan of Karol Bagh, New Delhi. His mother’s name is Vidyavati Markan. Darshan was their third child.
husband and children
Darshan Ranganathan was married to Subramaniam Ranganathan (1934–2016). Subramaniam Ranganathan (known as ‘Ranga’) was a professor and bioorganic chemist. They met in 1969 and married on 4 June 1970. Darshan gave birth to their son, Anand Ranganathan, in 1972. Anand is a scientist, political analyst and writer.
Darshan Ranganathan with her husband Subramaniam Ranganathan
Anand Ranganathan, son of Darshan Ranganathan
signature/autograph
Signature of Darshan Ranganathan
livelihood
chemist
Darshan Ranganathan started as a researcher at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur on 16 June 1970. She shared resources such as students, equipment, chemicals and project funds with her husband Subramaniam, who was an assistant professor there.
Darshan Ranganathan with his students
Darshan and her husband conducted research on various fields and she herself published several research papers. In 1991, she received a fellowship from the Indian Academy of Sciences and became its member. Darshan conducted his research at IIT Kanpur using the money he received from his fellowship as he was not allowed to join the faculty. This was because her husband was already working in the organization. In 1992, he was posted to the Regional Research Laboratory (now known as the National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology), Trivandrum, where he established a bioorganic research laboratory. In 1998, she moved to Hyderabad with her husband at the invitation of Dr. Raghavan, Director of the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology. She came up with a method that allowed a chemical called imidazole, which is important to medicines, to be automatically duplicated in the laboratory. They also created a model that simulated how our body processes urea.
An illustration of Darshan Ranganathan, an organic chemist
Books and Magazines
Darshan Ranganathan, along with her husband Subramaniam Ranganathan, edited the journal “Current Organic Chemistry Highlights”, a monthly analysis of the literature. He also made numerous publications in scientific journals such as the Journal of the American Chemical Society and the Journal of Organic Chemistry. Indeed, before her death, she was working on a review of accounts of chemical research. Much of his work was published even after his death; In one example, her husband, Subramaniam, studied and edited her work titled Patterns for Supramolecular Design, co-authored by Dr. Isabella Carle. This book was published by New Age International Publishers, New Delhi in 2002. Ranganathan loved to simulate biochemical processes in his laboratory. She wrote the books “Challenging Problems in Organic Reaction Mechanisms” (1972) and “Art in Biosynthesis: The Synthetic Chemist’s Challenge” (1976) with her husband Subramaniam Ranganathan.
Cover of the book “Challenging Problems in Organic Reaction Mechanisms” by Darshan and Subramaniam Ranganathan
Awards and Fellowships
- Darshan Ranganathan won the Senior Research Scholarship of the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 in 1966.
- Darshan Ranganathan received a fellowship from the Indian Academy of Sciences in 1991.
- Darshan Ranganathan was awarded a fellowship from the Indian National Science Academy in 1996.
- Darshan received the Third World Academy of Sciences Award (TWAS) in the field of Chemistry in Tehran, Iran in 1999.
- Darshan Ranganathan was awarded the Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Visiting Fellowship by the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) in 2000.
- Darshan received the AV Rama Rao Foundation Award at the Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR).
- Darshan Ranganathan received the Sukh Dev Endowment Lectureship at the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL).
Death
Darshan Ranganathan died on 4 June 2001 due to breast cancer. Darshan Ranganath discovered that he had a growth on his breast and was diagnosed with breast cancer, which he defeated after undergoing breast surgery in 1997–98. He received high-quality medical treatment at the Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital and Research Institute in Hyderabad. Darshan was diagnosed with metastases in mid-2000 and ultimately died of cancer in 2001.
Facts/General Knowledge
- In his childhood, Darshan Ranganathan was highly interested in dance, painting and music.
- Darshan Ranganathan was fond of origami and painting.
- Darshan Ranganathan died on his 60th birthday and 31st wedding anniversary.
- While her husband Subramaniam was suffering from tuberculosis, Darshan Ranganathan noticed a small growth in her breast. To avoid causing stress on his family, he kept this secret until he grew older.
- Darshan Ranganathan worked with Dr. Isabella L. from the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC. Worked with Carley for over 7 years. Both of them published many papers together but never met.
Dr. Isabella L. Carle, Darshan Ranganathan’s co-worker whom she never met
- When Darshan Ranganathan was in London, he got his mother to order dried jackfruit from Delhi as the fruit was not available in London.
- As a tribute to Darshan Ranganathan, the Indian National Science Academy instituted a biennial lectureship for an “outstanding woman scientist” in any field of research in science and technology.
- Darshan Ranganathan was known for wearing silk sarees and large round bindis.
Darshan Ranganathan wearing a saree on the beach with her husband Subramaniam Ranganathan
- Darshan Ranganathan and Subramaniam Ranganathan used to invite people to their lab for pizza and ice cream.
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn