NGRI

Dr Bhatnagar was born in Shahpur, now in Pakistan. His father Parmeshwari Sahai Bhatnagar died when he was only eight months old and he spent his childhood in the house of his maternal grandfather, an engineer, where he developed a liking for science and engineering. He used to enjoy building mechanical toys, electronics batteries, string telephones, etc. From his maternal family he also inherited a gift of poetry, and his Urdu one-act play Karamati won the first prize in a competition.

He received a number of honours in recognition of his significant contributions. In 1936, the British Government conferred on him the Order of British Empire. In 1941, he was made the Knight Bachelor. The Society of Chemical Industry (UK) elected him as Honorary Fellow in 1943 and later, as Vice President. Still greater recognition of his contributions in Science was his election in 1943 as a Fellow of Royal Society of London. He was a past President of the Indian Science Congress and National Institute of Science and an Honorary Fellow of Asiatic Society. Among the Universities, which have conferred Honorary Doctorates on him include Oxford, Agra, Allahabad, Banaras, Delhi, Lucknow, Patna and Saugar. He was honoured with Padma Vibhushan in 1954.

The CSIR came into operation on 26th September, 1942. The BSIR and IRUC were designated as advisory bodies to the Government body of the CSIR. In 1943 the Governing Body of CSIR approved the proposal mooted by Bhatnagar to establish five national laboratories the National Chemical Laboratory, the National Physical Laboratory, the Fuel Research Station and the Glass and Ceramics Research Institute. In 1944 in addition to its annual budget of Rs. 1 million, the CSIR received a grant of Rs. 10 million for the establishment of three laboratories. The Tata Industrial House donated Rs. 2 million for the Chemical, metallurgical and fuel research laboratories.

After his death, CSIR established Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award for eminent scientists in his honour. IN remembrance of the services rendered by him, the Sports Promotion Board of CSIR conducts indoor and outdoor games every year.

Sports are a universal form of recreation. They are also one of the great expressions of the aspirations of man to excel. Besides, sports help in building and maintaining a healthy mind in a healthy body. Perhaps, it was due to these very reasons that organization of sports and creation of recreational environment became an integral part of the personnel policy of CSIR.

This CSIR sports tournament was elevated to an all India level for participation by all CSIR laboratories after the sudden demise of our founder Director General, Dr. S.S. Bhatnagar in 1955. It was named in his memory as the Sir Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Memorial Tournament. In the first few years, it was organized biannually with competition in games of Cricket, Volleyball, Tennis, Basketball, Table Tennis, Badminton, Chess, Carrom and Bridge. The CSIR Headquarters Staff Club used to organize the tournament in CSIR laboratories over a period of 7 to 8 days, every alternate year. The Bhatnagar Memorial Tournament held at NPL in 1956 could be termed as the first All India CSIR tournament. These tournaments continued be held regularly till 1980, with a little pause during China war in 1965.

Meanwhile, CSIR considered providing greater impetus to sports within the system. An official platform was accordingly provided by forming a CSIR Sports Control Board on the lines of those in Railways, P & T etc. Formalization of a CSIR Sports Control Board took place in March, 1980 with its registration as a Society under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860. In view of the objectives/ role of Sports Control Board, its nomenclature was changed to Sports Promotion Board (SPB).