Hyderabad: Kolkata has been ranked as the top Indian city in the prestigious global list of 200 scientific cities released this year by Nature. The Metropolitan Area (MA) not only performed better than Indian cities like Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad but also overtook renowned places like Edinburgh, Helsinki, and Geneva.
Bratya Basu, West Bengal's Education Minister, took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share his excitement about this achievement and recognition.
— Bratya Basu (@basu_bratya) December 3, 2024
The Nature Index evaluates cities and institutions on the basis of their contributions to research papers published in leading scientific journals. A city’s "share" reflects its proportional contribution to high-impact publications, while its "count" indicates the total number of articles contributed.
On the global scale, Beijing retained the top spot, while Shanghai moved into second place, pushing New York to third. This shift highlights China’s growing influence in the global research landscape. Kolkata ranked 83 globally, followed by Bengaluru at 85. Other Indian cities, such as Mumbai MA, Central National Capital Region (Delhi), and Hyderabad MA, have been ranked 98, 124, and 184 respectively.
Kolkata’s Contributions to Scientific Research
In an international survey by Stanford University, 5,352 Indian scientists were recognised among the top 2 per cent of researchers globally, up from 4,635 in 2023. This growth reflects India’s rising impact on global research.
West Bengal contributed 260 scientists to this list. IIT Kharagpur led with 85 scientists, followed by Jadavpur University with 41. Other institutions like North Bengal University and Raiganj University also had representatives, with the University of Gour Banga contributing five scientists.
The state has produced several prominent figures in science, such as Dr Satyendranath Bose, Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose, Sir Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy, and Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis. Their groundbreaking work continues to inspire today’s scientific community.
Kolkata remains the hub of scientific activity in the state, home to renowned institutions like the S N Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, and the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology. The city is also known for specialised institutes such as the Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute and the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, further bolstering Bengal’s scientific reputation.
Bengal’s Rich Scientific Legacy
West Bengal has a long history of scientific achievement. Dr Satyendranath Bose, known for Bose-Einstein statistics, revolutionised quantum mechanics. Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose made key contributions to plant physiology and wireless communication, while Sir Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray founded India’s first research institute for chemistry.
Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, a pioneer in statistics, developed the Mahalanobis distance and led the creation of India’s National Sample Survey. Meghnad Saha’s work on thermal ionisation laid the foundation for the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics.
Modern-day researchers like Biman Bagchi, known for his work in physical chemistry, and Kedareswar Banerjee, who pioneered X-ray crystallography, continue this legacy. Astronomer Radha Gobinda Chandra made significant observations of comets, while Bibha Chowdhuri and Debendra Mohan Bose advanced studies in cosmic rays.
Bengal’s rich scientific heritage, from its historical icons to its contemporary researchers like Abhijit Basu and Sandip Kumar Basu, ensures that the state remains a leading force in global scientific research and innovation.
