The seeds were shooting up and so too was his fame as a plant physiologist. Sixty years ago the late Dr Jamshedji Chinoy was selected as member of the first delegation of Indian scientists to the Soviet Union where he introduced the new phenomenon of heredity in plants. An internationally renowned plant physiologist Chinoy was invited to conferences in Germany, Sweden, Belgium and Scotland to present his papers.
One of the founder members of the Indian Society for Plant Physiologists, Chinoy was economic botanist at Delhi’s Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), head of the botany department at the Delhi University, director, School of Sciences and Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, 1976. He had authored more than 500 research papers which have been carried in Indian and international scientific journals.
Dr Jamshedji Chinoy: humble and hard working
It was the continued personal interest of Lady Nawajbai Tata (of the Tata Endowment Trust) in Chinoy’s career that resulted in the latter receiving a research fellowship award to pursue studies at the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London where he was guided by the renowned scientists Profs Blackman and Gregory. In 1935 Chinoy became the first Parsi to receive a PhD in plant physiology from the Imperial College.
A simple, straightforward, forthright man with high values, Chinoy’s love for his country of birth brought him back in spite all the accolades he earned abroad. Never forgetting Nawajbai’s help and interest in his career, Prof Chinoy extended the same largesse to his students who liked him tremendously. Whilst guiding every student through his/her university career he demanded hard work and dedication in return as these were the same qualities which helped him focus and reach immeasurable heights. He wanted his students too to taste the results of these values. In appreciation of Chinoy’s many strengths, his colleagues and his students founded in his memory a Commemorative Gold Medal for the Best Research Fellow in Botany.
The unassuming professor never forgot his own humble upbringing. Born on February 18, 1909, to Jeejeebhoy and Gulbai Chinoy in the small town of Anjar, 22 km off Bhuj in Gujarat, at the age of four years Jamshedji lost his father. Thereafter his maternal grandfather supported his education. After completion of school, Chinoy had to move to Bhavnagar to pursue college education since Anjar and Bhuj in those days had no colleges. Before he finished his second year, his maternal grandfather also passed away forcing him to fend for himself. Chinoy migrated to Bombay where he joined the Elphinstone College and later the Royal Institute of Science where Dr R. N. Dastur, an eminent professor of the Institute, befriended him. This erstwhile educationist guided the young student and became his philosopher, mentor, guide until Chinoy passed his BSc and MSc with distinction. When seeking financial assistance to pursue his studies he impressed Nawajbai who continued to take keen personal interest in his progress. Besides studies, Chinoy played tennis, hockey and was interested in boxing as well. At the Royal Institute his interest veered towards the Philosophical Society.
Chinoy found a great supporter of his values in his wife, Rhoda. She took interest in his work and made herself knowledgeable in botany and plants. In spite of his experience Chinoy was a man young at heart. He loved to read comics and was jovial. Inspired by their parents, their five children too gave their best to their respective professions: Navzar rose to the rank of general in the Indian Army, Niloufer became director of School of Sciences, Gujarat University, Meherangez who settled post marriage in UK, undertook research in oral physiology in Newcastle, UK and became a school teacher, Rohinton, working with Tata Motors, is now at the Nano plant in Ahmedabad. Another son Nosherwan did his MSc in economics before he passed away.
A true Parsi, Chinoy loved good food and a loud hearty laugh. The Ahmedabad Parsi Panchayat felicitated him for his achievements in 1976. Earlier the professor had been presented the K. G. Naik Medal awarded by the Gujarat University in 1961 for outstanding research in botany, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award in 1974-75 by IRAI, and the Congress Medal at the XII International Botanical Congress, Leningrad.
There is never a limit to learning for those who want to do so. Chinoy learnt the Russian language at the age of 50. The life of this exemplary physiologist that came to an end on May 12, 1978 demonstrated that greatness can be achieved by hard work and focused ideals.