Prafulla Chandra Ray
Chemist and founder of India’s first pharmaceutical company
- Lived
- 82 yrs
- 1861 – 1944
- Works listed
- 1
- Book
- Honours
- 1
- Most recent 1919
- Profile views
- 0
- 0 followers
Prafulla Chandra Ray was a chemist, teacher and entrepreneur often called the father of Indian chemistry. He discovered mercurous nitrite, founded Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, India’s first pharmaceutical company, and trained a generation of Indian scientists. He died in 1944.
Biography
Education
Ray studied in Calcutta and at the University of Edinburgh, where he earned a doctorate in chemistry in 1887. Returning to India, he joined Presidency College in Calcutta as a teacher in 1889.
Chemist
In 1896 he reported the preparation of mercurous nitrite, a stable compound that brought him international recognition, and went on to publish many papers on nitrites and related compounds. His students included Meghnad Saha and Satyendra Nath Bose.
Industry
Believing that India needed its own industries, he founded Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceutical Works in 1901 with a small sum of money; it became the country’s first pharmaceutical company. He also wrote A History of Hindu Chemistry, tracing chemical knowledge in ancient India.
A simple life
Ray lived simply, never married and donated much of his salary to science and social causes, including flood relief and education. He was knighted in 1919 and died in Calcutta on 16 June 1944.
Timeline
-
1861
Born in Raruli-Katipara, Jessore district, Bengal Presidency (now Bangladesh)
-
1887
Doctorate in Edinburgh
-
1889
Joins Presidency College
-
1896
Reports mercurous nitrite
-
1901
Founds Bengal Chemicals
-
1902
A History of Hindu Chemistry, volume one
-
1919
Knighted
-
1944
Dies in Calcutta
-
1944
Died, aged 82
Notable works
-
1902
A History of Hindu Chemistry Book
Awards and honours
-
Knight Bachelor
1919
Did you know?
-
1
He founded India’s first pharmaceutical company.
-
2
He gave much of his salary to charity.
-
3
Meghnad Saha and S. N. Bose were among his students.
Connections
Related people
Frequently asked
Who is Prafulla Chandra Ray?
Prafulla Chandra Ray was a chemist, teacher and entrepreneur often called the father of Indian chemistry. He discovered mercurous nitrite, founded Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, India’s first pharmaceutical company, and trained a generation of Indian scientists. He died in 1944.
When did Prafulla Chandra Ray die?
Prafulla Chandra Ray died on 16 June 1944 at the age of 82.
Where is Prafulla Chandra Ray from?
Prafulla Chandra Ray was born in Raruli-Katipara, Jessore district, Bengal Presidency (now Bangladesh).
What is Prafulla Chandra Ray known for?
Prafulla Chandra Ray is best known for Discovering mercurous nitrite; founding Bengal Chemicals; A History of Hindu Chemistry.
What awards has Prafulla Chandra Ray received?
Notable honours include Knight Bachelor (1919).
References
- Prafulla Chandra Ray — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Prafulla Chandra Ray — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Prafulla Chandra Ray (Q3351086) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Prafulla Chandra Ray”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 2 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Prafulla Chandra Ray.” TrackFame, last updated 3 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/prafulla-chandra-ray
Discussion 0
Sign in or create an account to join the discussion.
No comments yet — be the first.
More in Science
Science
C. V. Raman
Physicist; Nobel laureate who discovered the Raman effect
1888 – 1970
Business
Dhirubhai Ambani
Founder of Reliance Industries
1932 – 2002
Science
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
Astrophysicist who discovered the Chandrasekhar limit
1910 – 1995
Science
U. R. Rao
Space scientist who built India’s first satellite
1932 – 2017
Science
Meghnad Saha
Astrophysicist known for the Saha ionisation equation
1893 – 1956
Science
P. C. Mahalanobis
Statistician who founded the Indian Statistical Institute
1893 – 1972