Pushpa Mitra Bhargava, well-known scientist, institution builder & science populariser, passed away today after prolonged illness. He was 89. He is survived by a son and daughter.

The founder director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Bhargava is one of the architects of modern biology and biotechnology in the country. In a career spanning 55 years, he has been a key participant in several development projects in science. A champion of scientific temper, Bhargava stood up to causes that espoused modern science.

He played an important role in the development and increased use of DNA fingerprinting (deoxyribonucleac acid) technology as Director of the CCMB, where the indigenous probe was developed by Lalji Singh and team. His tenure as CCMB Director was marked by the visit of Nobel Laureates, artists like MF Hussain (who painted a mural) and lively discussions between science & art and popular lectures.

Bhargava also emerged as one of the visible faces of Indian science. A Padma Bhushan awardee and known to have close access to PMs Nehru-Indira-Rajiv, he contributed as a writer, consultant to industries, especially Sun Pharma, Sanghi Industries and several drug and biotechnology firms. He was a columnist of BusinessLine contributing over 60 articles on biotechnology and science. He also wrote in all major newspapers on scientific topics. In Hyderabad, along with concerned professionals, he founded MARCH (Medically Aware and Responsible Citizens of Hyderabad), which highlighted ethical and moral issues surrounding scientific developments and practises.

Forthright among scientists and a rationalist, Bhargava also landed in controversies. His views on Homeopathy as not being scientific in the ‘Method of Science’ exhibition he conceived in the mid-1980s earned the wrath of its practitioners and supporters.

Similarly, his efforts to expose pseudo-science and claims like Ramar Pillai’s converting herbs into petrol and opposing Astrology in universities raised public awareness.

During the past decade, he has been quite vocal not just on ethical and questionable trends in science like Bt cotton and genetically modified technology but also on social issues like intolerance and growing Hindutva & religious influence under the Modi government to a point of returning the Padma Bhushan award. Bhargava’s has been a strident voice against issues, government decisions and public matters that he strongly believed were against people’s interest. In his death, a strong voice in Indian scientific community falls silent.

Ironically, in the past week or so, Indian science has lost UR Rao (85), the space scientist, Yash Pal (90) the physicist and science communicator and now PM Bhargava.