Sukh Dev FNA, FASc (born 17 June 1923) is an Indian organic chemist, academic,

researcher and writer, known for his contributions in the development of

Guggulsterone, a plant-derived steroid used as a therapeutic and nutritional agent.
[1] He has conducted advanced research in biomedical science and natural products
chemistry and holds 55 patents for his findings.[2]

He is a recipient of several honors including the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize,

the highest Indian award in science and technology.[3] In 2008, the Government of
India awarded him the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honour of India,
for his contributions to science and technology.[4]

Contents
1 Biography
2 Legacy
3 Awards and honors
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
7 Further reading
Biography
Sukh Dev was born on 17 June 1923[3] at Chakwal, in the Punjab province of then-
British India to Hari Chand Lala and Maya Vanti.[5][6] He graduated with honors
from Dayanand Anglo Vedic College, Lahore of the Punjab University in 1943 and
secured his master's degree (MSc) from the same institution in 1945.[2] He then
joined the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (IISc) as a research associate.
Moving to India after the Partition, he studied under noted natural products
chemist Praphulla Chandra Guha at the IISc, obtaining his PhD in 1948.[6] After
taking his doctorate, he conducted post-doctoral research at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology with John D. Roberts.[6]

From 1951 to 1953, he was a senior research fellow at the IISc. and continued there
as a lecturer in organic chemistry from 1953 to 1959, with a brief stint as a
research associate at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in 1957-58
under Elias James Corey.[6] After securing the degree of DSc from IISC in 1960, he
joined the National Chemical Laboratory, Pune the same year as the Head (Assistant
Director) of the Organic Chemistry (Natural Products) Division where he stayed till
1974, with a promotion to deputy director in 1968.[6] In 1974, he was appointed
director of the Malti-Chem Research Centre in Nandesari where he worked till 1988.
[5][6] In 1989, he joined the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi as the INSA
S. N. Bose Research Professor, shifting to the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Centre For
Biomedical Research of Delhi University in 1994 where he is a visiting professor.
[2][6]

Legacy
Sukh Dev is known to have been involved in researches on terpenoids and have
contributed to the structural elucidation of a number of them. It was during these
investigations, he discovered new skeletal types in Sesqui- and diterpenoids.[3]
Based on his researches, he proposed two rules; the Absolute Stereochemistry
Biogenetic Rule and that exotic biological materials tend to produce exotic
secondary metabolites.[5] He focused a part of his research on lac, turpentine,
Cedrus deodara (Devadaaru) and Indian medicinal plants such as Guggulu Commiphora
wightii, the last of which has resulted in the development of Guggulsterone, a
steroid claimed to have cholesterol-lowering and nutrient properties.[2] His
researches have earned him 55 patents and the body of his work has been documented
in over 290 scientific articles. he has published 10 books, including Prime
Ayurvedic Plant Drugs, a 2006 publication which explores the ancient and modern
traditions of Ayurveda.[7] He has also mentored 92 research scholars,[8] which
included many notable scientists.[9][10]
Awards and honors
Sukh Dev received the Sudborough Medal of
when he was working at the institution as
major award came his way in 1964 when the
Research (CSIR) awarded him Shanti Swarup
the Indian Institute of Science in 1949
a research associate[2] but the first
Council of Scientific and Industrial
Bhatnagar Prize, the highest Indi