This invaluable book is an autobiographical account of doing scientific research in India. It provides an insight to the perseverance of a scientist from a developing country. His relentless pursuit of excellence in chemistry for more than half a century is a remarkable source of inspiration to young scientists facing modern-day challenges.

This invaluable book is an autobiographical account of doing scientific research in India. It provides an insight to the perseverance of a scientist from a developing country. His relentless pursuit of excellence in chemistry for more than half a century is a remarkable source of inspiration to young scientists facing modern-day challenges.

How do you build a scientifically and technologically strong modern nation with limited means and resources? Indian scientists faced this challenge seven decades ago when the country became independent and confronted a world rapidly advancing in science and technology. In the years that followed, they battled poor funding and archaic regulations to build India's science infrastructure from scratch. This fascinating narrative captures the story of the struggles and triumphs of these leaders of science and the world-class institutions they founded. From the cosmic-ray experiments at the Kolar Gold Fields to ISRO's stunning space observatory built under severe constraints, from the construction of one of the world's largest radio telescopes in Ooty to the development of structural biology at IISc and, most recently, the significant contributions of the country's scientific institutions towards tackling a global pandemic - Space. Life. Matter. brings to readers the path-breaking advances made by India's scientists to original research and what they mean to the nation's progress. Deeply informed, enlightening and inspiring, this singular, comprehensive account of the pride of place that Indian science occupies in the world is essential reading for all.

Prof. CNR Rao is a living legend. Einstein paid a compliment to Mahatma Gandhi on his 70th birthday. He said, “Generations to come, it may well be, will scarce believe that such a man as this one ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth”. On Prof. Rao’s birthday, I would repeat these words. Prof. Rao is not an individual, he is an institution, he is a phenomenon. I feel lucky that our generations could see him, touch him, feel him, experience him, learn from him and get inspired by him. I have watched Prof. Rao as a scientist, as a science leader, as a science institution builder and indeed as a leader of leaders of science. I have also watched him as a wonderful, warm-hearted human being with abundant empathy. I have seen his childlike enthusiasm. I have watched him as `courage personified’. What follows is more anecdotal but solely based on my personal viewpoint. Professor Rao has had a tremendous influence on my life. He has been my guru, guide, friend and philosopher. I met him for the first time when he was the Chairman of the Research Advisory Council of the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) in the nineteen eighties. I was then in my late thirties. Professor Rao has an uncanny ability to spot talent among the young. He was the President of the Indian Science Congress in the year 1988, which was held in Pune University. Mr. Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister and he inaugurated the Science Congress. Later on, during the lunch that followed, Prof. Rao made a special point to introduce me to Rajiv Gandhi. I still remember his words. He said, `Mr. Prime Minister, meet a rising young star of Indian science’. Little did I then know that within the next couple of months, he would make me a member of the Science Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, which he was chairing. At 42, I was the youngest member and I remember people calling me the `baby’ of the team. Getting that huge exposure at such a young age was something very special for me – I got a helicopter view of India at large. It helped me enormously as I moved on in life. 'Padma Vibhushan' Dr. Raghunath Anant Mashelkar

The paradigm shift in the field of education focuses on the development of life skills, attitudes and values. This was the prime focus which made us divide this series into two themes: LIFE SKILLS and ATTITUDES & VALUES. Each theme strongly voices out in three levels - beginners, the avid readers and the experts making it a six book series. The book "Breathing in Bodhi - the General Awareness/ Comprehension book - Life Skills/ Level 2 for the avid readers" is the second of the three books based on the Life Skills theme. • The book contains 30 fascinating stories about People, Places, Events, Ideas and Issues. The stories are further based on Life Skills - 10 each on Thinking, Social and Emotional Skills. • The book aims at enhancing the comprehension skills along with augmenting the general awareness of children leading to the development of the precious Life Skills. • The book is an honest attempt to trigger the young minds to think, explore and relate to the world around them. It makes them THINK, COMPREHEND AND ANALYZE. The articles given for the comprehension purpose are actually in sync to the real world. • Each story has been elaborately discussed and is analysed by the following tools: • Wordsmith - aims at developing the vocabulary and contextual usage of words. • Finding the Fact - aims at developing the comprehension skills • Extra Inning - gives an opportunity to the reader to explore the extra information related to the story. • Reality Check - a platform to create opinions about the various issues related to the story. • Only when the reader is in a position to generate thoughts/ opinions about a given situation/ issue then only he is in a position to provide a real solution model. • This series is a must have for people who not only want to build in their reading habit and develop their vocabulary but also want to enroot an eye for comprehending, analyzing and transforming their approach from problem finders towards becoming PROBLEM SOLVERS by reinforcing the power of Life Skills.

Prof. CNR Rao is a living legend. Einstein paid a compliment to Mahatma Gandhi on his 70th birthday. He said “Generations to come, it may well be, will scarce believe that such a man as this one ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth”. At Prof. Rao’s 85th birthday, I would like to repeat these words. Prof. Rao is not an individual, he is an institution, he is a phenomenon. I feel lucky that our generations could see him, touch him, feel him, experience him, learn from him and get inspired by him. I have watched Prof. Rao as a scientist, as a science leader, as a science institution builder and indeed as a leader of leaders of science. I have also watched him as a wonderful warm hearted human being with abundance of empathy. I have seen his child like enthusiasm. I have watched him as `courage personified’. Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, FRS National Research Professor

This book provides an in-depth ethnographic study of science and religion in the context of South Asia, giving voice to Indian scientists and shedding valuable light on their engagement with religion. Drawing on biographical, autobiographical, historical, and ethnographic material, the volume focuses on scientists’ religious life and practices, and the variety of ways in which they express them. Renny Thomas challenges the idea that science and religion in India are naturally connected and argues that the discussion has to go beyond binary models of ‘conflict’ and ‘complementarity’. By complicating the understanding of science and religion in India, the book engages with new ways of looking at these categories.