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Title: GANDHIS INFLUENCE ON MODERN DAY SCIENCE

Kamal kishore
1*
, Phulan Rani
2
1
*
. Department of Chemistry, 2. Department of Biotechnology, JC DAV College, Dasuya.144205

ABSTRACT:
No coin has one face. If, it has, it is not a coin. It is our folly if we stick to one. This is
what has been prevailing for long in case of relations of science and Gandhi. This is clear
from his speech and speeches of his admirers and followers. But the face of the coin will
not cease to exist if we do not turn the coin. So, this article is just a simple and humble
attempt to display the other side of the coin. Gandhi and science in my views dated each
others for long and shared a live-in relationship. The social constrains dominated the
relation and most of us considered them as two separate identities. In reality they never
stopped seeing each other though not very frequently and intimately. But their love for
each other never extinguished. It lived as deep flowing water without any indication as
there was no surface current. All the mysteries are supposed to be unfolded at some
instance of time. I find myself privileged to get an opportunity to make an attempt to find
the correlation between the two.
Introduction
Gandhis views on science and scientists can be had from his own speech made in
Trivandrum in March 1925. In his own words, it is a common superstition in India, and
more so outside Indiathat I am an opponent, a foe, of science. Nothing can be farther
from the truth than a charge of this character. It is perfectly true, however, that I am not
an admirer of science unmixed with something I am about to say to you. I think we cannot
live without science, if we keep it in its right place. But I have learnt so much during my
wanderings in the world about the misuse of science that I have often remarked, or made
such remarks, as would lead people to consider that I was really an opponent of science.
In my humble opinion there are limitations even to scientific search, and the limitations
that I place upon scientific search are the limitations that humanity imposes upon us.
The above cited paragraph is included here in this article just to show that even he
himself was not far away from science.
Common perception about Gandhis temperament towards science
In the present predicament when we are not able to adjust ourselves to the new
conditions which science has brought about, it is not easy to adopt the principles of non-
violence, truth and understanding. But on that ground we should not give up the effort.
While the obstinacy of the political leaders puts fear into our hearts, the common sense
and conscience of the peoples of the world give us hope.
These are the lines, which were written by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, in an Introduction of
a book on Mahatma Gandhi.
My view of correlation of Gandhi and modern day science
From these words one may get an impression that the modus operandi of sciences of
modern day are against the ideology of Gandhi, which has been much discussed, debated
and preached. But, I being a man of chemistry is here going to deliver that this is not true.
Gandhi was never a simple homo sapiens like me and you. He was a self sustained store
of wisdom which kept on pouring the supplies as demanded by generations of past and
present. I am sure the store will never go dry and the supplies will be passed on to the
future generations without any interruption.
Modern day science learned, though quite late, that, the principles laid by Gandhi are not
only guidelines for the social spheres of the world but are also capable of mentoring the
modern day research in many fields of science.
Modern branches of science are clear reflections of ideology and philosophy of Gandhi.
One such field is use of light to create new materials. This needs a better understanding
of Gandhian philosophy and ideology. Gandhi wanted the use of bio-resources, simple
humans, and their inherent strength to get rid of the antigens coming from distant lands to
mutilate India. He never wanted to have weapons and ammunition to kick those antigens
off. This is nothing but the philosophy of Ahimsa. In the similar fashion the above
mentioned sphere of science which we call photochemistry imitated his concept of
Ahimsa, hereby known as, light and energy produced by sun to get rid of the trouble
causing microbes and harmful ingredients present in various needed things for healthy
and better living. In physics solar energy is harnessed to provide solutions of the
problems faced by the modern world in the form of energy crisis. Though other solutions
are there which are evident to everybody but modern science is now focusing much on
solar energy trapping and solving the crisis which is and will be faced by present and
future generations. This is the impact of Gandhis philosophy on modern science.
Another new branch of science, which is now becoming popular, is Green chemistry.
This branch works on the ideology that it is harmful to create new at the cost of
diminishing the pre-existing. Even Gandhi wanted to bring reforms in the different
spheres of crawling India of early twentieth century without demolishing the good
existing in them like their cultural and traditional richness and simplicity. I hope much
elaboration is not need to have an insight for the correlations.
Gandhis mind laid so many eggs, some of these we already have gathered and now we
sighted another. It is attitude to reform. All of you know him as a reformer. Scientific
meaning clubbed with literary meaning reveals reform as forming the existing thing by
using a tool or technique either for want of getting it more or minimizing the harmfull by-
products produced during its production. Reformer is the one who forms something
already prevailing by satisfying the above said meaning of reform. Gandhi brought many
reforms with the spirit of improving the quality of life without producing any ill effects
on highly rich cultural and traditional environment of Indian society. In the same manner
we the chemists are producing already existing things either to improve the yield or to
minimize the hazards which are produced by the traditional research methods of the west.
Many chemicals which by nature are carcinogenic, mutagenic, etc. are replaced or
banned. Chemicals like ammonia, benzene, CFC, chloroform, dioaxane, Carbon
tetrachloride, plastics, polymeric materials, etc. are now replaced with a chemical which
is GODs gift and is responsible for the existence and sustainance of life. I hope you
people know the name. If some of you could not get it then it is water.
Atom economy is also a very important feature of green chemistry which follows the
trails laid by the foots of Gandhi when he journeyed on the path to have equal and well
fed humans all over the world. He always stressed that we should not have too much in
our plate especially when we know the need of our belly. Wasting the produce of the
farmer just to show your richness is in contradiction with the Gandhian philosophy.
Green chemistry also works on this very principle that a change should bring good and
effective for all aspects of environment without producing huge wastes.

Conclusion:
Myths are myths and believe me they cannot stand the testimony of time. Castles of sand
can be demolished in no time with a simple blow of channelized wind. All ills and
malpractices which ruled for a good length of time and had deep roots could be
eliminated in a short duration with the efforts of simply one or two persons. The distance
between Gandhian philosophy and modern day science as is considered by most of the
persons from non-science stream is nothing but a myth. These two poles though
appearing skew from a certain angle but actually they are symbiotically related. After
finding this, I started working upon finding new relations between these poles. I wish that
the readers and listeners from all spheres and streams of life and research should work
upon the new equations and find more impacts of Gandhian philosophy and ideology on
new and upcoming branches of sciences.


































M. Sc. -1 (Semester - 2nd)
MM 80 Time Allowed: 3 Hours
UNIT 1
1)i) How isotopic effect helps in determining the mechanism of a reaction. Explain by
giving examples.
ii) Discuss isotopic labeling ,Kinetic evidence in determining the mechanism of the
reaction.
2) i) ArH

. Discuss mechanism.
ii) What is Micheal addition. Give its applications.
iii) Explain the mechanism of Sharpless Epoxidation. Give examples.
UNIT 2
3) i)What is the difference in behavior of LiAlH
4
& NaBH
4
. Explain giving examples.
ii) Give the details of Wittig reaction, along with its synthetic utility.
iii) Explain ammonolysis of esters with mechanism.
4) Write the product and mechanism of
i) CH
3
CHO + CH
3
COCH
3



II)
C
6
H
5
CHO +CH
3
COOEt

iii) ArCHO + (CH
3
CO)
2
O


iv) R
2
C=O +CH
2
COOEt CH
2
COOEt

UNIT 3
5) I) Discuss mechanicm & orientation in pyrolytic elimination.
ii) Give evidences in support of E
2
mechanism.
6) i) R CC-H

ii) Hunsdiecker reaction iii) RCHO

UNIT 4
7) I) Discuss a) claisen b) cope c) 3,3 sigmatropic shift d) fluxional tautomerism
ii) 1,3 sigmatropic shifts are ________ allowed ? Explain.
8) i) Discuss 1,3 dipolar cycloaddition reactions.
ii) Ethylene + ethylene

.
COMPULSORY QUESTION
i)What is ene reaction. ii) Draw potential energy diagram for two step reaction in which
first step is the rate determining step.
iii) R-CH=CH-CR
/
=O

?
iv) Structure of free radical.
v) Draw frontier orbitals of 1,3 butadiene.
vi) Give an example of regioselective reaction.
vii) Define transition state.
viii) What is the role of solvent in E
2
elimination?