Obaid Siddiqi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Obaid Siddiqi
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| Born | 7 January 1932 Basti, Uttar Pradesh
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| Died | 26 July 2013 (aged 81) |
| Alma mater | |
| Awards |
Padma Bhushan (1984)
Padma Vibhushan (2006) FRS (1984) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biology |
| Doctoral advisor | Guido Pontecorvo |
| Notable students | Veronica Rodrigues |
| Influences | Homi Bhaba |
Obaid Siddiqi FRS (7 January 1932 – 26 July 2013) was a very important Indian scientist. He was a National Research Professor. He also started the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) National Center for Biological Sciences. Siddiqi made big discoveries about how our genes affect our behavior and brain. He mostly studied tiny fruit flies called Drosophila.
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Early Life and Learning
Obaid Siddiqi was born in 1932. This was in a place called Basti district in Uttar Pradesh, India. He went to Aligarh Muslim University for his first degree. Later, he earned his Ph.D. from the University of Glasgow in Scotland. His teacher there was Guido Pontecorvo.
After his Ph.D., he did more research in the United States. In 1962, a famous scientist named Homi Bhabha invited him back to India. Bhabha asked Siddiqi to set up a special molecular biology unit. This unit was at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Bombay.
Thirty years later, Siddiqi became the first director of the TIFR National Center for Biological Sciences. This new center was in Bangalore. He continued his important research there for the rest of his life.
Discovering How Genes Affect Behavior
Siddiqi's research focused on a field called neurogenetics. This field looks at how our genes, our behavior, and our brain are all connected. In the 1970s, he worked with another scientist, Seymour Benzer. They studied fruit flies, which are called Drosophila.
Their work led to a big discovery. They found fruit flies that became paralyzed when it got too hot. This helped them understand how nerve signals are made and sent in the brain. This was a huge step forward for the field of neurogenetics.
At TIFR, Siddiqi and his student, Veronica Rodrigues, made more discoveries. They found fruit flies that had problems with their sense of smell and taste. Siddiqi's work helped us understand how our brains detect and process smells and tastes.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Obaid Siddiqi received many awards and honors for his amazing work. Here are some of them:
- President of the Indian Academy of Sciences
- Member of the Royal Society in London
- Member of the US National Academy of Sciences in Washington
- Member of Third World Academy
- He was a visiting professor at many top universities. These included Yale University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, and Cambridge University.
- He received the Padma Vibhushan in 2006. This is one of India's highest civilian awards.
- He also received the Padma Bhushan in 1984, another high Indian award.
- He won the Dr. B. C. Roy Award in 2004.
- He received the Bhatnagar Award in 1976.
His Legacy
Obaid Siddiqi passed away on July 26, 2013, in Bangalore. He had been in a road accident a few days before. He left behind his wife, Asiya, and his children, Imran, Kaleem, Yumna, and Diba. His work continues to inspire scientists today.
