Dear Editor, a relevant article-regards-steven lawrence
dsouza-ex-ips-irs-retd-malad west-mumbai 400064
GREAT INDIAN CHRISTIAN HEROES ….2
DR.NORMAN LEWIS-SCIENTIST WITH HEALING TOUCH.
By Steven Lawrence Dsouza
(The writer is a former civil servant, presently a corporate
management consultant, leading tax advisor, visiting faculty business
mgt., and course co-ordinator for IAS.UPSC, and other Competitive exams .)
The Marquis Who’s Who Publication Board Certifies that Norman F. Lewis
Is a subject of biographical word in Who’s Who in the World Sixth
Edition 1982/1983 Inclusion in which is limited, “ to those individuals
who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in their own fields of
endeavor and who have, thereby, contributed significantly to the
betterment of contemporary society”
Signed
Signed
President
Editor-in-Chief
The above certification by the Marquis Board for inclusion Of Dr.
Norman Lewis in “Who’s Who in the World Sixth Edition 1982/1983” is an
apt tribute to arguably one of the greatest Indian Christian Scientists,
Pride of Mumbai and of Goa and of course the whole of India, whose
research was acknowledged at the highest international levels, whose
contribution is indeed significant to betterment of contemporary society
even today, and who narrowly missed the Nobel prize, just around the
time of his untimely demise on 20th July 1985.
Lewis ,Norman Francis, was born on 23.05.1935, Son of Titus Francis
Lewis and Rosa Maria Lewis , A Goan Catholic Migrant Family In Bandra ,
Mumbai. He attended St. Stanislaus Boys’ High School, Hill Road, Bandra,
and he secured excellent academic grades, during his entire school
life.This enabled him to pursue further studies in the premier St
Xaviers College, and he completed his Bsc (Hons), from then Bombay
University in 1956 and : B.Sc. (Tech),From the well coveted University
Department of Chemical Technology, Bombay, in 1958 . A holder of First
Class Degrees in Science and Food Technology, Dr. Lewis joined one of
India’s Top scientific research Institutes-Bhabha Atomic Research
Centre (BARC) in 1958. At BARC, he ultimately rose to be Head of the
Microbiology Dept., Head of Meat & Fish Dept., Head of Food Technology
and Enzyme & Engineering Division. Due to his excellent research in his
field of specialization, he was deputed by the Government of India to
Oregon State University (USA), where he procured his Master’s Degree in
1965. He ultimately was awarded Ph.D for his research thesis by Bombay
University in 1973.He is credited with the discovery of the most
radiation-resistant bacterium known to man “MICROCOCCUS RADIOPHILUS”
earning him his doctorate. His discovery of most radiation-resistant
bacterium known to man “MICROCOCCUS RADIOPHILUS” was a major
breakthrough in the field of Food, Meat and fish processing and
preservation , and was acknowledged internationally by organizations
like FAO,IAEA and the United Nations. He was also a Pioneer of the food
irradiation programme in India and other countries across the world.,
Besides, he was part of the core research team in USA which developed a
vaccine against the dreaded ‘Salmonella’. which was then a strong
contender for the Noble Prize for the discovery of vaccine for cholera.
He was deputed by the Government of India to the University of Cornell
(USA), in 1985, to complete his research, when his untimely demise cut
short his dream of the ultimate honour awarded to scientists..
. Dr. Lewis participated in many conferences and symposia in India and
abroad, He represented India at international conferences at Seattle in
1974, Munich in 1975, Manila in 1978, Tokyo in 1979, California and Las
Vegas in 1982, Denver and San Diego in 1984 .He was member of Managing
Committee, Bombay Unit, Association of Microbiologists, India; and
member of Managing Committee, Bombay Chapter, Association of Food
Scientists and Technologists, India. Publications: He was Author of
over 70 research papers published in scientific journals in varied
subjects like microbiology, photobiology, food sci., food tech.,
applied biology, radiation biology.; His achievements as a research
scientist have earned him a place in the prestigious ‘Who’s Who In The
World’ (1982), ‘Who’s Who Indian Personages’ (1984), ‘Who’s Who In The
Commonwealth’ (II Ed.), ‘International Book of Honour’, ‘Men of
Achievement’, ‘Dictionary of International Biographies’ and ‘Profiles of
Eminent Goans’.. In 1994, a chowk named after the late Dr. Norman
Francis Lewis was sanctioned at Santa Cruz. In 2005, the government
decided to honour the great Doctor by sanctioning the only entire
lifesize statue of a Catholic in the history of India, at Sopari Talao
park, Bandra. In the Gospels, the essence of Christianity was potrayed
as being the humble salt , the flavor of food that nourishes all people
on this earth. Salt is an essential ingredient in Goan food delicacies.
This bright Goan from Bandra blazed a trail, extending it to all realms
of Food , meat , fish preservation to the far corners of the earth, and
added to it a healing touch in the valiant fight against developing a
vaccine for cholera. Undoubtedly he remains probably the greatest
Indian Christian scientist of our times.
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