Dr. C L Bhat

Dr. C L Bhat

Dr. C L Bhat

Full name of the late Dr. C L Bhat is Dr. Chaman Lal Bhat. He was born in the family of the late Pundit Jia Lal Tikoo from Ganpatyar in the year 1949. His upbringing in early years of his age among family members full of virtues chiseled him a man of virtues with a perfect human heart with love for all and malice for none. He believed in high thinking  and simple living dedicated to his job. Dr. Chaman Lal Bhat among other family members was devotee of Bagwan Gopi Nath. Besides, he was influenced by the teaching of Swami Viveka Nanda and regularly contributed until his end to the journal published by the Divine Park.

 At the age of twenty-one in the year 1970 Dr. Bhat Gold Medalist completed his post-graduation in Physics from Kashmir University with first position and bagged the Gold Medal for his performance. Dr. Bhat completed Phd. in Physics under Dr. N N Raina HOD Physics Kashmir University in the year 1982. Soon thereafter, he did post doctoral work under Nobel Laureate Professor A Wolfendale in England.  His research work was mostly published in Nature, world’s topmost science journal.

Like others, when Chanpora came up as a new residential colony, Dr. Bhat also with hard earned money constructed a house to live in at Lal Nagar, Chanpora. Not only the hard earned money but he invested his blood and sweat to see his dream come true. Once, I spotted him carrying a bag of cement on the frame of his bicycle to meet the demand of the mason with little cement and half an hour left to call it a day.

Though entitled to Departmental vehicle as NRL(BARC) Kashmir Head , he footed to and fro walk from Chanpora to Lal Chowk with a heavy briefcase carrying his books weighing more than five kg. load. From Lal Chowk to Zakura, he used to board public transport. It was combination of austerity and walk to keep him physically and mentally fit.

January 1990 was not an exception for Dr. Bhat. Sloganeering echoed from all the amplifiers atop the mosques around. Of all the slogans the most obnoxious slogan was: “ Asie guchie asuen Pakistan, Butav bughaer Butnev saan’ (We must get Pakistan without Kashmiri Pundits, but with the women folk of Kashmiri Pundits )”. Dr. Bhat could not resist. He along with his two primary class student daughters and wife had a last look at his newly constructed house and went into exile to meet his brethren as a refugee in his own state.

I had already occupied two 10x10 rooms meant for coaching of students, on the first floor of the house of Prof. B L Raina at 25-Bagwati Nagar, Jammu on 16^th January, 1990. Third week of January 1990, 25- Bagwati Nagar Jammu with only three room received three more families consisting of Dr. C L Bhat (4); Er. Rattan Lal Raina (4) and Dr. Ravinder Raina (4) intermittently. The house turned into a private Refugee Camp. The buzz at the Refugee Camp 25 Bhagwati Nagar made us insensitive of the situation.

Soon other scientists along with their families trickled down to Jammu. The Camp at times turned into the Camp office for BARC Srinagar and the drawing room turned into meeting hall of the camp office of BARC.

Normalcy distanced itself by each passing day and the BARC hired a building on rent at Shastri Nagar, Jammu. Gulmarg laboratory being inaccessible the end product of the work was zero. Hope for return was illusive. Dr. Bhat, dedicated to work was the last man to earn salary without work. His other colleagues cooperated and he shifted his work place to Mumbai with laboratory at Mount Abu, Rajasthan. Initially Guest House of Rajasthan Tourist Corporation was taken on rent and subsequently it was purchased by BARC. Residential quarters for the staff at Mount Abu were constructed on priority. The backward village Oriya hummed with activity. Dr. Bhat made alterations to the architect to save age old trees. Besides, his dedication to his scientific work, he had development of the village also in his mind. He planned to share the bore well water with the water scanty villagers to uplift their living. On the fateful day he had taken samples from different bore wells for testing at Mumbai.

Dr.Bhat used to travel during nights to save day for work. His austerity cost the life of a reputed and dedicated scientist. He boarded the Government bus at Mount Abu for Abu Road. The drunk driver lost his control and gave a fatal blow to the Nation on 21^st December, 2001. In his death the Nation lost one of its most dedicated scientists of repute. His family and close his relations shattered beyond recovery.

I conclude that tragedy could be avoided if Dr. Bhat would have not been too austerity minded to avoid the use of the staff car meant for a scientist of his stature. I am reminded of the accidental death of Dr. Parimoo, Professor at BITS Pillani. He too had boarded a bus that was driven by a drunk driver.

Please click the link to listen to the man Dr. Bhat met last.http://youtu.be/S7STOkvi3zk

Dining Hall

Staff quarters