At the Odisha Literary Festival on September 6, 2026, scientist and author Anand Ranganathan addressed the issue of how both British colonialism and Indian societal attitudes contribute to the erasure of scientific heroes from India's history. During a discussion titled ‘Forgotten Heroes of Indian Science: Discovering What’s Lost,’ Ranganathan highlighted figures such as Azizul Haque, Ram Nath Chopra, Upendranath Brahmachari, Hem Chandra Bose, and Yellapragada Subbarow as crucial contributors to science in post-independence India.
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Ranganathan expressed concern that many contributions by these figures have been forgotten. “A lot of their discoveries happened in independent India. These scientific figures saved millions of lives, yet we have overlooked them,” he remarked.
Sheetal Ranganathan, writer and corporate leader who co-authored the book ‘Forgotten Heroes of Indian Science’ with Anand, noted that these scientists emerged from a challenging environment that discouraged scientific pursuits due to institutional racism and underfunding during the British Raj. “During colonial rule, we were robbed of our legacy and the pride of our Indian knowledge system,