Saroj Ghose
Born 1 September 1935 · West Bengal
Died 17 May 2025
Led the National Council of Science Museums as director general, expanding science museums across India.
🔔 Add birthday reminderSaroj Ghose was an Indian science popularizer and museum maker. He was the director of Birla Industrial & Technological Museum and director general of the National Council of Science Museums, Government of India. He was also the President of the International Council of Museums in Paris from 1992 to 1998. During his 60 years of professional experience, he received numerous national and international awards, including the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, the third and fourth highest civilian awards in India, respectively.
✨ A detail that surprised us
In 1965, Saroj Ghose introduced the Museobus, a science exhibition mounted on trucks with 28 exhibit cabinets, to reach rural India with interactive science displays.
1. In 1965, Saroj Ghose launched India's first indigenously developed travelling science exhibition, the Mobile Science Museum, inaugurated by West Bengal's Chief Minister Prafulla Chandra Sen, aiming to bring science to remote areas.
2. 🌟 After earning a Masters in Control Engineering from Harvard in 1964, Ghose returned to India and revolutionized science museums by introducing the Museobus concept, transforming mobile science exhibitions with 28 exhibit cabinets mounted on trucks.
3. Between 1971 and 1974, Ghose researched the history of the electric telegraph in India at the Smithsonian Institution, later earning a PhD from Jadavpur University for his thesis on this subject.
4. As founding director of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) in 1979, Ghose led the growth of over 1,000 science museums and centers across India, shaping the country's science popularization infrastructure until his retirement in 1997.
5. 🌍 From 1992 to 1998, Ghose was President of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) in Paris, guiding global museum policies and earning an Honorary Lifetime Membership in 2016.
6. In the mid-1980s, Ghose masterminded the international travelling exhibition “India: a Heritage of Science,” which toured countries including the USA, France, and the Soviet Union, showcasing India’s scientific legacy on a global stage.
7. 🕊️ After passing away in Seattle in 2025, Ghose donated his body to the University of Washington Willed Body Program, continuing his commitment to science even in death.
8. ❓ What challenges did Ghose face in convincing a vast and diverse India to embrace science museums as tools for education and cultural transformation?
Awards & Honours
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🔍 One thing most people don't know
In 1965, Ghose launched the Mobile Science Museum, the first indigenously developed travelling science exhibition in India, inaugurated by West Bengal's Chief Minister Prafulla Chandra Sen.
🖼️ Through the Years
📅 The Journey
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🎥 Speeches & Recordings
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🌱 What changed because of them
Saroj Ghose transformed the landscape of science education in India by creating mobile and permanent science museums, making science accessible to millions, especially children in remote areas. His leadership at the National Council of Science Museums established a nationwide network of science centers that promoted scientific temper as envisioned by Jawaharlal Nehru. Internationally, his presidency at ICOM influenced museum practices worldwide, integrating Indian scientific heritage into global conversations.
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