M. V. George | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1928-10-03)3 October 1928 |
| Died | 9 December 2019(2019-12-09) (aged 91)[1] Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India |
| Alma mater | |
| Known for | Studies on mechanism of organic reactions |
| Awards |
|
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | |
| Institutions | |
| Doctoral advisor | |
| Doctoral students | K. George Thomas |
Manapurathu Verghese George (3 October 1928 - 9 December 2019) was an Indianphotochemist and an emeritus professor of theNational Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST).[2] He was known for establishing the Photochemistry Research Unit at NIIST and his studies on the mechanism oforganic reactions.[3] He is a recipient of the 1992 TWAS Award[4] and an elected fellow ofThe World Academy of Sciences,[5] theIndian National Science Academy[6] and theIndian Academy of Sciences.[7] TheCouncil of Scientific and Industrial Research, the apex agency of the Government of India for scientific research, awarded him theShanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology, one of the highest Indian science awards, in 1973, for his contributions to chemical sciences.[8]
M. V. George, born on 3 October 1928 in the south Indian state ofKerala, graduated in chemistry fromMadras University in 1948 and moved to theDr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University (then known as Agra University) from where he secured his master's degree in 1951.[6] He did his doctoral studies atSt. John's College, Agra of Agra University under the guidance of P. I. Ittyerah, a former principal of the college, and after securing PhD in 1954, he did his post-doctoral studies at various colleges in the US, UK, Germany and Canada.[citation needed]
He returned to India in 1963 and started his career as a member of faculty at theIndian Institute of Technology, Kanpur.[citation needed] He stayed at the institution for quarter of a century until 1988 during which period he headed the Department of Chemistry from 1966 to 1969, succeedingC. N. R. Rao.[9] Returning to his home state of Kerala in 1988, he joined the Regional Research Laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (present-dayNational Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology) as an emeritus professor and served the institution until his superannuation from service. In between, he had various stints at theUniversity of Notre Dame as a visiting professor during 1978–2001.[6]
The main focus of George's research was centered on the mechanical implications of the thermal and photochemical organic reactions.[10] His studies covered different areas oforganometallic chemistry and he worked onelectron transfer processes,organic reactions andfunctional group transformations. Thus he studied the organic reactions and functional group transformations, heterohexa-1, 3, 5-triene systems with regard to itselectrocyclic reactions and the synthetic utility andphototransformations of dibenzobarrelenes. He also studied thepicosecond laserflash photolysis techniques and the transient intermediates involved in photoreactions.[6] He was noted for the original approach in his studies ofhetero-aromatic systems.[10]
George published his research through over 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals[11][note 1] and guided a number of doctoral and post-doctoral scholars in their researches. He has contributed chapters to theHandbook of Chemistry and Physics,[12] edited byC. N. R. Rao[13] and his works have been cited by various authors in their publications.[14][15] He pioneered photochemistry research at the National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology and established the Photochemistry Research Unit at the institution.[2] He was a collaborator of C. N. R. Rao in popularizing science education at academic levels and is associated, as the executive director, with theFoundation for Capacity Building in Science (FCBS) initiative which promotes science education among Indian students through seminars and workshops.[16] He also served as a member of the council of the Indian National Science Academy from 1989 to 1991.[6]
The Indian Academy of Sciences elected George as a fellow in 1973 before he became an elected fellow of the Indian National Science Academy in 1975.[7] TheCouncil of Scientific and Industrial Research awarded him theShanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, one of the highest Indian science awards, in 1973.[17] He received theC. V. Raman Award in 1985 and the ProfessorT. R. Seshadri 70th Birthday Commemoration Medal of the Indian National Science Academy in 1990.[18]The World Academy of Sciences awarded him theTWAS Prize in 1992[4] and two years later, elected him as their fellow.[5] He is also a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award of theChemical Research Society of India and a life member of the society.[19]
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