Saha, Meghnad (October 6, 1893 - February 16, 1956; India)

Born in Seoratali, India, Meghnad Saha was an astrophysicist whose interests lied in the areas of astrophysics and the quantum theory. Saha graduated with his master's degree in applied mathematics in 1915 and by 1919 he had developed an equation having to do with high-temperature ionization which today bears his name. This equation, later perfected by British astrophysicist Edward A. Milne, had far reaching effects because it was able to make a link between the composition and the appearance of a spectrum with the temperature of the light source. This linkage allowed one to determine the temperature of the star or the abundance of chemical elements. Today, this equation is a fundamental part of any work relating to stellar atmospheres.

In 1923, Saha accepted the position of physics professor at the university of Allahabad. Four years later in 1927, Saha was a fellow of the Royal Society. In 1935, Saha founded a journal entitled, Science and Culture which was noted as being very outspoken and was deeply rooted in the social aspects of science. Three years later, in 1938, Saha went to the University of Calcutta and played a significant role in the creation of the Calcutta Institute of Nuclear Physics of which he later became an honourary director. Politics also played a role in Saha's life when in 1951 he was elected as an independent to the Indian Parliament.

One of Saha's greatest contributions to the field of astrophysics was the publication of his paper on stellar spectra which linked gas thermodynamics and kinetics to plasma. Saha's work took on immense importance when interpreting stellar spectral lines. The titles of some of Saha's most important works included, Ionization in the Solar Chromosphere (1920), A Treatise on Modern Physics (1934), and A Treatise on Heat (1958).

Later in his life, Saha played an active role in the development of scientific institutions throughout India as well as in national economic planning involving technology. In 1956, Saha died in New Delhi (Britannica, 10:301, 1994; Encyclopedia Americana, 24:93, 1991 and Barba, p. 67, 1995).