Arun Kumar Sharma, Cytogeneticist and Cell Biologist
Cytogeneticist and Cell Biologist

Arun Kumar Sharma

Born 31 December 1924 · verify — Died 6 July 2017

Pioneered studies on the physical and chemical nature of chromosomes in Indian cytogenetics.

Arun Kumar Sharma, popularly known as AKS, was an Indian cytogeneticist, cell biologist, cytochemist and a former Sir Rashbehary Ghose Professor and Head of the Department of Botany at the University of Kolkata, College of Science and Technology. Considered by many as the father of Indian cytology, he headed the Centre for Advanced Study on Cell and Chromosome at the university and is known for his contributions to the studies on the physical and chemical nature of chromosomes. A Jawaharlal Nehru fellow, he is a recipient of several honors including the Om Prakash Bhasin Award and the VASVIK Industrial Research Award. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the apex agency of the Government of India for scientific research, awarded him the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology, one of the highest Indian science awards, in 1967, for his contributions to biological sciences.

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A detail that
surprised us

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By 2009, Arun Kumar Sharma had supervised over 115 Ph.D. and D.Sc. scholars, an unusually high number for a single scientist in cytogenetics worldwide.

The Story

1
🎓 In 1943, Arun Kumar Sharma graduated with a BSc in Botany from Asutosh College, Kolkata, on a half-free scholarship, marking the start of his lifelong association with the University of Kolkata.
2
In 1955, he earned his Doctor of Science degree from the University of Kolkata, establishing his academic foundation in cytogenetics and paving the way for decades of research.
3🌿 Between 1947 and 1948, Sharma transitioned from a temporary teacher at the Botanical Survey of India to an assistant lecturer at the University of Kolkata, beginning a career that would span over four decades at the institution.
4In 1967, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research awarded him the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for his pioneering work on the physical and chemical nature of chromosomes, a rare honor in Indian biological sciences.

🏅 Awards & Honours

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Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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Sharma’s family faced financial hardship early on after his father’s death when he was 8, yet he secured a half-free scholarship to Asutosh College in 1939, highlighting a remarkable rise through adversity.

🖼️

Through the Years

3 photographs from the archives
Arun Kumar Sharma, noted Indian scientist, photographed in Kolkata (2009).
Arun Kumar Sharma, noted Indian scientist, photographed in Kolkata (2009).
2009
Arun Kumar Sharma at the Valedictory session of the 100th Indian Science Congress in Kolkata (2013).
Arun Kumar Sharma with Monkombu Sambasivan Swaminathan at the 100th Indian Science Congress in Kolkata (2013).

🗓️ A Life in Moments

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Birth
Born in Calcutta (now Kolkata)
Arun Kumar Sharma was born to Charu Chandra and Shovamoyee Sharma in British India’s Calcutta, in a joint family facing later financial difficulties.
1924
📚
Education
Graduated BSc Botany
Graduated from Asutosh College, University of Kolkata, on a half-free scholarship, marking the start of his academic career in botany.
1943
⚡
Career
Joined University of Kolkata as teacher
Started as a temporary teacher at the University of Kolkata, shifting from Botanical Survey of India to academia.
1947
📚
Education
Earned Doctor of Science degree
Received D.Sc. from the University of Kolkata, solidifying his academic credentials in cytogenetics.
1955
🏅
Award
Won Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize
Received one of India’s highest science awards for contributions to biological sciences from CSIR.
1967
🏅
Award
Awarded Padma Bhushan
Honored by the Government of India with the Padma Bhushan, the country’s third highest civilian award.
1983
⚡
Career
Retired as Head, Botany Dept.
Superannuated from the University of Kolkata after serving as head of the Department and project coordinator for the Centre for Advanced Study on Cell and Chromosome.
1990
🕊️
Death
Passed away in Kolkata
Died at the age of 92 after decades of scientific and academic contribution in cytogenetics.
2017
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🗝️Discoveries

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01 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

He was among only five selected for the Botanical Survey of India after clearing competitive UPSC exams, tasked with developing the Royal Botanical Garden’s herbarium and garden in Howrah.

02 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Throughout his career, Sharma published over 500 research papers in international and national journals, an exceptionally prolific output for a cytogeneticist working primarily in India.

03 / 04
🔍LESSER KNOWN

Sharma continued his academic involvement as an honorary professor after retirement in 1990, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to teaching and research.

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🌱 What changed because of them

Sharma’s establishment of the Centre for Advanced Study on Cell and Chromosome at the University of Kolkata transformed it into a global hub for cytogenetics research, influencing plant science teaching and research across India. His mentorship of an exceptionally large number of doctoral students created a generational impact on cytology, elevating India’s stature in this specialized field. National honors like the Padma Bhushan further legitimized cytogenetics as a critical scientific discipline in post-independence India.

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