PCSIR Islamabad

Death Anniversary of Dr. Salimuzzaman Siddiqui, Founder of PCSIR

The 27^th Death Anniversary of Dr. Salimuzzaman Siddiqui, Founder of Pakistan Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (PCSIR) was observed on 14^th April, 2021. He was born in Subeha (Barabanki District) near Lucknow on 19^th October 1897. He obtained his Doctorate degree from Germany in 1927.

He was a Pakistani organic chemist, versatile scholar, philosopher, a leading scientist in the natural product chemistry, critic of literature and a futurist of science. In addition to his scientific talents, Dr. Siddiqui was also an avid painter, a poet, and a great connoisseur of Western music. His paintings were exhibited in the United States, Germany, India, and Pakistan.

He is also considered as a pioneer of research and development in Pakistan. He was the founder member of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences, Chairman of the drafting committee of the Pakistan Science Commission, and Chairman of the Pakistan Council of Science & Technology.

In acknowledgement of his revolutionary discoveries, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1946. He was also elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) of London in 1961. He published over 400 research papers. He passed away on April 14, 1994, due to cardiac arrest after a brief illness at the age of 97.

Despite his death, the academic and research institutes that he founded during more than 65 years of his research career are still contributing to the international level research in natural products chemistry.