FATHER OF PHARMACY IN INDIA-MAHADEVA LAL SCHROFF | BIOGRAPHY, WORK AND RESEARCH

As we all know to start a new venture someone has to take the charge. Similarly to establish a new branch of studying requires a lot of effort. Pharmacy is one such subject about which we should know, particularly in a country like India we need restless practice to convince the officials to agree on starting a new subject. I am sure most of us didn't know much about a person named Mahadeva Lal Schroff (Father Of Pharmacy In India). Let's try to get some knowledge about him and his great work.

Introduction

Mahadeva Lal Schroff was born in 1902 and died in 1971. He is an unsung hero of India in the field of Pharmacy Education. He is designated as the Father of Pharmacy Education in India.

Qualifications

His primary education was completed in Bhagalpur School and he completed his intermediate in 1920. He got admission in Banaras Hindu University Engineering College. Once he attended the lecture of Swamy Satya Deo at BHU, he got so influenced by that lecture (1921). He enrolled himself for B. Sc. Chemical Engineering at Lowa and attained a scholarship. He left the course and joined Cornell University, got a Degree in Arts with Honors in Chemistry (1925). Obtained MS in Chemistry and Microbiology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1927). He returned to India in 1929, took a job at Birla Brothers Limited. Soon he became frustrated with the job and the society and thought to go back US. Later he joined the freedom movement after meeting Jamnalal Bajaj who completely changed his outlook towards the country.

He was introduced to Vice-Chancellor of BHU, Pt Madan Mohan Malviyaji with the pursuance of J. L. Bajaj. Pt. Madan Mohan Malviyaji detected the spirit of Education in him and offered him BHU staff as an Honour.

Work and Research

Being from a Chemical background, he asked Pt Malviyaji to establish a separate section of Pharmaceutical Sciences at BHU. Malviyaji granted permission to establish that new discipline. Since then Pharmacy became the main subject in B. Sc. at BHU (1932). From 1932 two years' Pharma Chemistry, Pharmacy, and Pharmacognosy were introduced in integrated B. Sc.
Since 1937 B. Pharma became three years full-fledged course at BHU. That's why he is called as the Father of Indian Pharmaceutical Education and a pioneer of Pharma Sciences. In 1935 he started United Provinces Pharma Association which spread beyond Uttar Pradesh borders and become the Pharmaceutical Association in 1939. He himself edited the Indian Journal of Pharmacy which was founded in January 1939. He earned the respect and attention from top Scientists, chemicals, and Medical Practitioners. He created awareness for the development of Pharmaceutical Education and Technology in India. He also started M. Pharma at BHU in 1940. It got recognition in the whole country.

He left BHU in 1943 and again joined Birla Brothers as Chief Chemist and Research Officer and served as secretary to the Birla Laboratories till 1949 at Calcutta. Later he got the post of Principal at Birla College, Pilani. There he organized Pharmacy Education at intermediate and degree level for five years. He started his own Journal "Indian Pharmacist" from 1945 for the coming ten years.
Conclusion: To be memorized by people small steps are also countable, we just need to be persistent. Mahadeva Lal Schroff is one such example. He has started a great venture with just simple steps.

Books to explore Pharmacy:

1. Medicine by Steve Parker

2. Oxford Textbook of Medicine

3. Rosen's Emergency Medicine Concept and Clinical Practice

4. Goldman Cecil Medicine by Lee Goldman, Andrew L. Schafer 25th Edition

Books published By M.L Schroff :