Author Archives: Jotsna Jari

” It is the cells which create and maintain in us, during the span of our lives, our will to live and survive, to search and experiment, and to struggle.” –  Albert Claude. 

 writer : jotsna jari

❤️ Albert Claude  🔼

(24 August 1899 – 22 May 1983) was a Belgian-American cell biologist & Medical Doctor.

💛 The Nobel Prize in Physiology or 

Medicine 1974.

Prize motivation: “for their discoveries concerning the structural and functional organization of the cell.”

Work :- 

Our bodies are made up of cells that contain organelles, components with various functions. Around 1945 Albert Claude conducted a number of trailblazing studies of cellular components. He made use of the newly developed electron microscope, which enabled him to capture images with a level of detail not previously available. Claude also developed methods for separating the various parts of pulverized cells with a centrifuge so they could be better studied. This also became a breakthrough for cell biology.

💜 Albert Claud’s own writing

about the Life :- 

I was born in Belgium, in 1899. Longlier, my birthplace, is located in a high point of the Belgian Ardennes, atop the rising spur of an eroded remnant of the foot of the Alps, next to a deep valley. In the Middle Ages, it had been a fortified place, of the Francs and Carolegian dynasties. Pepin le Bref, crowned King of the Francs in 751 spent in Longlier two winters, from October to Easter, in the years 750 and 763. His son Charlemagne who by then had become Emperor of the Occident called a High Court of Justice of the Empire to meet in Longlier: the diploma, still preserved, was signed by him there in 771. In the year 1050, the Charlemagne Villa became a Monastery, and renamed later “Ferme Charlemagne”. In the 17th-18th century, it was adorned with a high sloping roof “à la mansarde”, whereas the round towers, standing high at the wall corners, matched the roof with elegant, bell-shaped tops, a situation which remained unchanged until 1914.

The landscape of the Longlier region is covered with remnants of the primeval forest of oak trees, progressively invaded by evergreens. The bluegreen color of the pines, which blends with the blue-grey color of the massif of slate rocks emerging through a meager soil gives the countryside an aspect, severe, but also of serene beauty, and even more, when the pure coat of the snow covers it during the long and cold winters.

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 An imaginary rendition of Al Biruni on a       1973 Soviet postage stamp

writer : jotsna jari

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💚 Al Biruni  💛

(4 September 973 AD, Uzbekistan –

13 December 1048, Afghanistan )

He is a scholar and polymath during the Islamic Golden Age. He has been called variously the “founder of Indology,  “

Father of Comparative Religion, Father of modern Geodesy, and the first Anthropologist. 

Al Biruni & India 💙

Alberuni was 44 years of age when he came to India with Mahmud of Ghazni.

💛 Al-Beruni and the Kitab al-Hind :- 

In his book Tahqiq-i-Hind(Kitab al-Hind),

he described the social, political, religious and economic condition of India. In his account he highlights choice parts of the Gita, the Upanishads, Patanjali, Puranas, the four Vedas, scientific texts (by Nagarjuna, Aryabhata, etc.), relating stories from Indian mythology to make his point.

Alberuni unreservedly praised In­dian philosophy. He was particularly impressed by the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita.

His book is a survey of India’s life based on his studies and observations in India between 1017 and 1030.

Social Condition : – 

• Indian society was cast-ridden. 
• Several evil prac­tices like child marriage, prohibition of widow marriage, ‘Sati’ and ‘Jauhar’ existed in the Hindu society. 
• He does not mention the system of dowry but he writes about the StreeDhan which the relatives of girls present to her in-laws.

Political Condition : – 

• The entire country was divided into small states which occasionally used to quarrel among themselves. These states were jealous of each other and constantly engaged in fights against one another. Malwa, Sindh, Kannauj and Kashmir were prominent states among them. 
• The feeling of nationalism among the Indians was almost absent.

Religious conditions : – 

• The Hindus of the rural regions worshipped many gods and goddesses.
• Idol worship was prevalent. Brahmans had the sole privilege of reading the Hindu scriptures.
• Only the Brahmans had the right to attain salvation.

Legal rules and condition of Laws and Judicial system : –

• It was necessary to write applications that mention points against the accused in order to get justice. Justice depended upon the witnesses and before conducting witnesses, it was necessary to take oaths. Also, there were arrangements for oral justice. 
• Criminal law was very mild in India. The limbs of serious offenders were amputated. The Brahmanas were exempted from death punishment. If a Brahman murdered someone, he was required to repent through fasts, prayers and charity.

Taxation system : – 

King was not the owner of the land. He took land tax from the peasants at 1/6th of the produce. The Brahmans were exempted from the burden of paying taxes. 

Alberuni believed that people of Indian sub-continent were excellent philosophers, good mathematicians and astronomers but criticised the hypocrisy of Brahmins Scholars that despite of explaining the scientific values of ancient text they preferred misleading the masses and keep them steeped in ignorance and superstitious.

The statue of Al-Biruni in United Nations

Office, Vienna.

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