NNG
Scientist and Chemical Engineer

Narasinh Narayan Godbole

· verify — Died 4 December 1984

First Director of Industries & Supplies for the Government of Rajasthan, shaping regional industrial policy.

Narasinh Narayan Godbole was an Indian food chemist and the first Director of Industries & Supplies of Government of Rajasthan.

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A detail that
surprised us

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Narasinh Narayan Godbole invented a "Home Pasteurizer" for domestic use, merging scientific research with everyday Indian household needs.

The Story

1
In 1919, Narasinh Narayan Godbole was personally invited by Madan Mohan Malaviya to establish the Department of Industrial Chemistry at Banaras Hindu University, a pioneering move in Indian science education.
2
🌏 Godbole spent two years in Germany, earning a PhD from Berlin University in 1925 while specializing in fats, oils, and soaps, fields critical to India's industrial chemistry.
3In the 1930s, Godbole toured Japan to study its industrial development, later lecturing extensively across major Indian universities including Banaras, Delhi, Calcutta, and Mysore on modern industrial growth.
4🥛 Godbole's 1936 book, "Milk: The Most Perfect Food," combined scientific research with advocacy for lacto-vegetarianism, prompting direct correspondence with Mahatma Gandhi on milk usage methods.

🏅 Awards & Honours

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🔍 One thing most people don't know

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In 1925, Godbole earned his PhD from Berlin University specializing in fats, oils, and soaps, areas vital to India's industrial chemistry development during the colonial period.

📸 Through the Years

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🗓️ A Life in Moments

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Birth
Birth in Dharwad
Narasinh Narayan Godbole was born in Dharwad, a city in present-day Karnataka.
1887
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Career
Professor in Lahore Colleges
Godbole taught at D. J. Sindh Government Science College and Government Dayal Singh College, Lahore, from 1911 to 1919.
1911
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Career
Started Industrial Chemistry at BHU
Invited by Madan Mohan Malaviya, Godbole founded the Department of Industrial Chemistry at Banaras Hindu University.
1919
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Education
PhD from Berlin University
Completed PhD specializing in fats, oils, and soaps after two years of study in Germany.
1925
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Publication
Published 'Milk: The Most Perfect Food'
Authored a scientific treatise on milk nutrition with a foreword by Madan Mohan Malaviya.
1936
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Career
Director of Industries, Rajasthan
Appointed first Director of Industries & Supplies in Rajasthan, serving till 1959.
1949
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Award
Awarded Padma Bhushan
Received the Padma Bhushan for contributions to food chemistry and industry.
1965
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Death
Death in Pune
Passed away in Pune, marking the end of a long career in science and industrial development.
1984
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🗝️Discoveries

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01 / 05
💡SURPRISING

Godbole’s 1936 book "Milk: The Most Perfect Food" was reviewed in scientific journals like Current Science and the Journal of Dairy Science, highlighting its blend of science and dietary advocacy for Hindu vegetarianism.

02 / 05
👤PERSONAL

Mahatma Gandhi corresponded with Godbole in 1937, praising his book on milk but critiquing it for not exploring milk usage methods more deeply.

03 / 05
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

Before returning to India, Godbole spent two years in Germany during the 1920s, studying industrial chemistry at a time when Indian scientists rarely had access to such advanced European education.

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🌱 What changed because of them

Godbole’s establishment of the Industrial Chemistry department at BHU laid the foundation for chemical engineering education in India. As Director of Industries & Supplies in Rajasthan, he shaped early industrial policies that influenced the state's economic development post-independence. His research on milk products contributed to both scientific understanding and the promotion of lacto-vegetarianism in India.

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