Subhash Mukhopadhyay (Physician), Physician and Reproductive Biologist
Physician and Reproductive Biologist

Subhash Mukhopadhyay (Physician)

Born 16 January 1931 · Bihar — Died 19 June 1981

Created India's first in-vitro fertilisation baby, Kanupriya Agarwal, in 1978.

Subhash Mukherjee was an Indian scientist and physician who created the world's second and India's first child using in-vitro fertilisation, Kanupriya Agarwal (Durga), who was born in 1978, just 70 days after Louise Brown, the first IVF baby in United Kingdom. Afterwards, Dr. Subhash Mukherjee was harassed by the then Government of West Bengal and Government of India and was not allowed to share his achievements with the international scientific community. Dejected, he committed suicide on 19 June 1981.

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A detail that
surprised us

“

Kanupriya Agarwal, India’s first test-tube baby, was born at exactly 11:44 AM on October 3, 1978, less than three months after the world’s first IVF baby in the UK.

The Story

1
🏥 In 1978, at NRS Medical College, Kolkata, Subhash Mukhopadhyay achieved a medical milestone by delivering Kanupriya Agarwal (Durga), India’s first test-tube baby, just 67 days after the UK's Louise Brown.
2
Despite his success, in 1980, Mukhopadhyay faced official harassment; the West Bengal government transferred him away from reproductive research to R.G. Kar Medical College, hindering his pioneering work.
3📜 His groundbreaking IVF research remained unpublished internationally for years, as bureaucratic skepticism and defamation blocked his ability to share findings globally.
4In 1981, overwhelmed by professional isolation and mental anguish, Mukhopadhyay tragically ended his life, leaving behind detailed notes that revealed his struggle, including the haunting line, "I can’t wait every day for a heart attack to kill me."

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
Padma Shri

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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In 1978, Mukhopadhyay used human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) to improve IVF success rates, a technique only credited internationally years later, in 1996.

📸 Through the Years

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🗓️ A Life in Moments

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Birth
Birth in Hazaribagh, Bihar
Subhash Mukhopadhyay was born in Hazaribagh, then part of Bihar and Orissa Province, British India.
1931
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Career
Birth of India’s first IVF baby
Kanupriya Agarwal (Durga) was born at NRS Medical College, Kolkata, 67 days after the world’s first IVF baby.
1978
⚡
Career
Transfer from reproductive research
Mukhopadhyay was transferred to R.G. Kar Medical College, disrupting his IVF research.
1980
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Death
Death by suicide
Facing harassment and isolation, Mukhopadhyay took his own life in Kolkata.
1981
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Other
Film inspired by his life
"Ek Doctor Ki Maut" was released, dramatizing Mukhopadhyay’s struggle for scientific recognition.
1991
🏅
Award
ICMR recognition of IVF work
The Indian Council of Medical Research officially acknowledged Mukhopadhyay’s pioneering IVF achievements.
2002
🏅
Award
Entry in Medical Biography Dictionary
Mukhopadhyay was included alongside Ronald Ross and U.N. Brahmachari in an international medical biographical dictionary.
2007
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
🔍LESSER KNOWN

Despite his IVF breakthrough, Mukhopadhyay’s research was suppressed for over two decades before official recognition by ICMR in 2002.

02 / 04
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

The 1991 film "Ek Doctor Ki Maut" was based on Mukhopadhyay’s life and highlighted the tragic consequences of institutional neglect of scientific pioneers in India.

03 / 04
👤PERSONAL

Mukhopadhyay was forcibly transferred away from his reproductive biology work to ophthalmology in 1980, a move that severely disrupted his research trajectory.

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🌱 What changed because of them

Subhash Mukhopadhyay’s pioneering IVF work laid the foundation for assisted reproductive technology in India, influencing policy through ICMR’s 2002 guidelines on ART clinics. The Dr. Subhas Mukherjee Memorial Reproductive Biology Research Centre was established in Kolkata, preserving his research and inspiring future scientists in reproductive medicine. His story prompted discussions on scientific recognition and the treatment of innovators in India’s medical community.

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