Salimuzzaman Siddiqui facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Salimuzzaman Siddiqui
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| Born | 19 October 1897 Subeha, North-Western Provinces, British India (modern-day Uttar Pradesh, India)
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| Died | 14 April 1994 (aged 96) |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Citizenship | Pakistani |
| Alma mater | Aligarh Muslim University University College London Frankfurt University |
| Known for | Research in Natural products Chemical constituents of Neem |
| Awards | Fellow of the Royal Society Hilal-e-Imtiaz MBE Pride of Performance Sitara-e-Imtiaz Tamgha-e-Pakistan |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Organic chemistry |
| Institutions | Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSI) H.E.J Institute of Chemistry Karachi University Pakistan Academy of Sciences |
| Doctoral advisor | Julius Von Braun |
Salimuzzaman Siddiqui (born October 19, 1897 – died April 14, 1994) was a famous Pakistani organic chemist. He was known for his work with natural products, which are chemicals found in plants and animals. He also taught chemistry at the University of Karachi.
Dr. Siddiqui first studied philosophy at Aligarh Muslim University. Later, he focused on chemistry at Frankfurt University in Germany, where he earned his PhD in 1927. When he returned to British India, he worked at the Tibbia College Delhi and the Indian Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.
After Pakistan became a country, he moved there. He helped create and lead important science organizations. He founded the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR). In 1961, he became the first chairman of the Pakistan National Science Council. He also helped start the Pakistan Academy of Sciences. Even after retiring from the government, he founded the Hussain Ebrahim Jamal Research Institute of Chemistry.
Dr. Siddiqui is famous for finding special chemical compounds in plants like the Neem tree and Rauvolfia. He explored many domestic plants in South Asia to find new chemicals that could be used as medicine. He published over 300 research papers and received 40 patents for his discoveries. Besides being a scientist, Dr. Siddiqui was also a talented painter, poet, and loved Western music. His paintings were shown in many countries.
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Early Life and Education
Salimuzzaman Siddiqui was born on October 19, 1897, in Subeha, a place near Lucknow. His father, Chaudhry Muhammad Zaman, taught him Urdu and Persian. He also learned to love literature, poetry, and calligraphy from his father. His elder brother, Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman, was an important leader in the creation of Pakistan.
In 1920, Salimuzzaman finished his studies in Philosophy and Persian at Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, which is now Aligarh Muslim University.
Studying in Europe
In 1920, Dr. Siddiqui went to University College London to study medicine. But after a year, he decided to switch to chemistry. So, in 1921, he moved to Frankfurt University in Germany to study chemistry. In 1924, he married Ethel Wilhelmina Schneeman, a classmate from Germany. He earned his PhD in 1927, guided by his professor, Julius Von Braun.
Life was tough financially for him in Germany during the 1920s because of high inflation. A kind person from India, Hakim Ajmal Khan, sent him money every month. Years later, when Dr. Siddiqui became a successful scientist, he honored Hakim Ajmal Khan by dedicating his discoveries to him.
After returning to India, Dr. Siddiqui set up the Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbi Research Institute in Tibbia College Delhi. He was its first director, working under Hakim Ajmal Khan. After Hakim Ajmal Khan passed away, Dr. Siddiqui left that job. In 1940, he joined the Indian Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. He worked there until 1951, when he moved to Pakistan at the request of Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan.
Important Discoveries
Dr. Siddiqui made his first big research discovery in 1931. He successfully found a chemical compound from the roots of a plant called Rauvolfia serpentina. This compound could help with heart problems. He named it Ajmaline, in honor of his mentor, Hakim Ajmal Khan. Hakim Ajmal Khan was a famous practitioner of the Unani system of medicine in South Asia.
Later, Dr. Siddiqui found other similar compounds, called alkaloids, from Rauvolfia serpentina. These included Ajmalinine, Ajmalicine, Isoajmaline, Neoajmaline, Serpentine, and Serpentinine. Many of these are still used around the world to treat mental disorders and cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) problems. They are especially useful for certain heart rhythm issues.
Discoveries from the Neem Tree
Dr. Siddiqui was the first scientist to highlight the amazing properties of the Neem tree. He showed that the Neem tree has chemicals that can fight worms, fungi, bacteria, and viruses.
In 1942, he extracted three bitter compounds from neem oil. He named them nimbin, nimbinin, and nimbidin. He found that nimbidin was the main active ingredient that fought bacteria. These compounds are very stable and found in large amounts in the Neem tree. They also work as natural insecticides, which are substances that kill insects.
Because of these important discoveries, he received the Order of the British Empire award in 1946.
Throughout his career, Dr. Siddiqui kept finding and isolating many unique anti-bacterial compounds. He found them in different parts of the Neem tree (like leaves and bark) and other plants. He had over 50 chemical compounds patented in his name. Many of his discoveries are still important natural ingredients in various medicines and biopesticides (natural pesticides).
Leading Scientific Research
Dr. Siddiqui moved to Pakistan in 1951, four years after Pakistan became independent in 1947. He was asked by Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan to be a "science advisor" to the government. He became the Director of the Pakistan Department of Research. In 1953, this department was renamed the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR). The PCSIR's goal was to help industries grow through research and development.
In 1953, he also founded the Pakistan Academy of Sciences. This was a group of distinguished scientists in the country. In 1956, when the Government of Pakistan created the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) for atomic research, Dr. Siddiqui was chosen as a technical member.
Awards and Recognition
Because of his leadership in science, Frankfurt University gave him an honorary doctorate degree in medicine in 1958. Also in 1958, the Government of Pakistan awarded him the Tamgha-e-Pakistan (Medal of Pakistan).
In 1960, he became the President of the Pan-Indian Ocean Science Association. In the same year, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a very high honor for scientists. In 1962, he received the Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) for his great achievements in science and medicine.
Dr. Siddiqui remained the director and chairman of PCSIR until he retired in 1966. That year, the President of Pakistan gave him the Pride of Performance Medal for his excellent service.
Founding New Institutes
In 1967, the University of Karachi invited Dr. Siddiqui to set up a new chemistry institute for advanced studies. He became the Founder Director of this institute.
In 1976, the Hussain Jamal Foundation gave a large donation to the institute. In thanks, it was renamed the Hussain Ebrahim Jamal Research Institute of Chemistry. Dr. Siddiqui turned this institute into a world-renowned center for chemistry and natural products research. In 1980, the Government of Pakistan awarded him the Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence) for his tireless work in promoting science and technology.
In 1983, he played a big role in creating the Third World Academy of Sciences and became one of its founding members. He continued to lead the Hussain Ebrahim Jamal Research Institute of Chemistry until 1990. Even after that, he kept doing research in his own laboratory. He published over 400 research papers and received 50 patents.
Death and Lasting Impact
Dr. Salimuzzaman Siddiqui passed away on April 14, 1994, in Karachi, due to a heart attack. He was buried in the Karachi University Graveyard. Even after his death, the academic and research institutes he founded continue to contribute to international research in natural products chemistry.
Dr. Siddiqui was a person with many talents. He was also a skilled poet, musician, and painter. In August 1924, he had his first international art show in Frankfurt. Later, in 1927, his artwork was shown at the Uzielli Gallery in Frankfurt. While in Germany, he also translated poems by Rainer Maria Rilke into Urdu.
Even though science became his main passion, he continued to support arts and culture. In 1966, he helped establish the Central Institute of Arts and Crafts in Karachi. He also put together a collection of poems by Mir Taqi Mir. In 1983, he published a collection of his own charcoal drawings from 1920 to the 1950s.
On April 14, 1999, the Pakistan Post issued a commemorative stamp to honor Dr. Siddiqui's contributions. In the same year, the street leading to the PCSIR Laboratories Complex in Karachi was named Shahrah-e-Dr. Salim-uz-Zaman Siddiqui (Dr. Salim-uz-Zaman Siddiqui Avenue). His students and colleagues also remembered him, dedicating their research and publications to his memory.
Awards and Honors
Dr. Siddiqui was a founding member of the Indian and Pakistan Academies of Sciences. He was also a founding member of the international organization, the Third World Academy of Sciences. Here are some of the honors he received:
- Gold medal of the Soviet Academy of Sciences
- Third World Academy of Sciences – TWAS Prize, 1985
- Hilal-e-Imtiaz, (Crescent of Excellence) 1980 by the Government of Pakistan
- President of Pakistan's Pride of Performance Medal, 1966
- Sitara-e-Imtiaz, 1962 (Star of Excellence) by the Government of Pakistan
- Fellow of the Royal Society, 1961
- President, Pan-Indian Ocean Science Association, 1960
- Tamgha-e-Pakistan, 1958 (Medal of Pakistan)
- D. Med. Honoris causa from the Frankfurt University, 1958
- Foundation Fellow, Pakistan Academy of Sciences, 1953
- Order of the British Empire in 1946
See also
- Atta ur Rahman (scientist)
- H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry
- Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary
