Subhas Mukherjee (physician)

Dr. Subhas Mukherjee (1931–1981) was an Indian physician, endocrinologist, and reproductive biologist best known for creating India’s first and the world’s second test-tube baby, Durga (Kanupriya Agarwal), in 1978. Despite the historic significance of his achievement, his pioneering work in in vitro fertilisation (IVF) was met with scepticism and institutional neglect during his lifetime. Posthumously, Dr. Mukherjee has been recognised as a visionary who laid the foundation for reproductive medicine in India.

Early Life and Education

Subhas Mukherjee was born on 16 January 1931 in Hazaribagh, then part of Bihar (now Jharkhand), into a Bengali family known for its emphasis on education. He completed his early schooling in Hazaribagh and later graduated from Scottish Church College, Kolkata, one of the leading institutions in Bengal’s intellectual circles.
Mukherjee earned his M.Sc. in Physiology from the University of Calcutta and later obtained his Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree in Reproductive Physiology and Endocrinology. He pursued advanced research in the field of reproductive biology and cryobiology, focusing on hormonal regulation and fertilisation mechanisms.
In the late 1960s, he went to the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, where he completed a Ph.D. in Reproductive Physiology, specialising in endocrinology and human reproduction. This period exposed him to cutting-edge research in fertility treatments, motivating him to explore artificial fertilisation techniques upon his return to India.

Academic and Professional Career

After returning to India, Dr. Mukherjee joined the Government of West Bengal Health Services and served as a lecturer in physiology at NRS Medical College, Kolkata. His scientific interests were primarily centred on hormonal therapy, ovulation induction, cryopreservation of embryos, and human reproduction.
Despite limited laboratory facilities and minimal funding, Mukherjee continued to experiment independently on assisted reproduction techniques. He collaborated with Sunit Mukherjee, a gynaecologist, and Sailesh Mukherjee, a cryobiologist, to develop a novel method of in vitro fertilisation.

The Birth of India’s First Test-Tube Baby

On 3 October 1978, Dr. Mukherjee achieved a groundbreaking success with the birth of Kanupriya Agarwal (nicknamed Durga), the first Indian and the world’s second IVF baby, following Louise Brown, born in the United Kingdom just two months earlier.
The procedure involved several innovative techniques, including:

• Use of cryopreservation: He successfully preserved embryos at low temperatures, a pioneering step in IVF technology.
• Hormonal induction and precise timing: His research on endocrinology enabled accurate control of ovulation cycles.
• Non-surgical oocyte retrieval: He developed a minimally invasive method for egg collection, unique for its time.

The IVF procedure was conducted using indigenous equipment and self-developed protocols, demonstrating immense scientific ingenuity in a resource-limited environment.
Despite the success of the procedure, Mukherjee’s work received no recognition at the time. When he presented his findings to the Government of West Bengal and a special expert committee, his research was dismissed without thorough examination, primarily due to bureaucratic apathy, professional jealousy, and lack of understanding of advanced reproductive science in India during that era.

Institutional Neglect and Tragic Demise

Following the official rejection of his claims, Dr. Mukherjee faced severe professional humiliation and isolation. His requests for validation, replication of experiments, and official support were denied. He was transferred from his research post to a non-scientific administrative role, which further deepened his disillusionment.
Unable to overcome institutional neglect and academic ostracism, Dr. Mukherjee tragically ended his life on 19 June 1981. His death highlighted the lack of institutional mechanisms in India at the time for recognising and nurturing indigenous scientific innovation.

Posthumous Recognition and Re-evaluation

It was only years after his death that Dr. Mukherjee’s work gained the recognition it deserved. In 1986, renowned IVF specialist Dr. T. C. Anand Kumar, who led India’s officially acknowledged first IVF project (Harsha, 1986), reviewed Mukherjee’s handwritten notes, laboratory records, and research data.
Dr. Kumar publicly acknowledged that Subhas Mukherjee had successfully created India’s first test-tube baby in 1978 using methods that were scientifically sound and even ahead of their time. This admission prompted a posthumous re-evaluation of Mukherjee’s contribution.
In 2002, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Government of India officially recognised him as the true pioneer of IVF in India. The baby, Durga (Kanupriya Agarwal), grew up healthy, further validating the scientific success of Mukherjee’s procedure.

Scientific Contributions

Dr. Subhas Mukherjee’s work in reproductive biology was marked by originality and technical innovation. His key scientific contributions include:

• Pioneering use of cryopreservation for storing human embryos long before it became a standard practice worldwide.
• Development of an indigenous, low-cost IVF system suitable for developing countries.
• Integration of endocrinology and cryobiology in reproductive technology.
• Early conceptualisation of controlled ovarian stimulation for egg retrieval and fertilisation.

His research predated many internationally recognised techniques and demonstrated his deep understanding of physiology, embryology, and hormonal regulation.

Legacy and Influence

Today, Dr. Subhas Mukherjee is regarded as a trailblazer of reproductive medicine in India. His legacy is commemorated through awards, research institutions, and public tributes that acknowledge his scientific foresight and perseverance against institutional adversity.
Key recognitions include:

• Official recognition by the Government of India as the creator of India’s first IVF baby (2002).
• Establishment of the Dr. Subhas Mukherjee Memorial Infertility Centre in Kolkata, promoting fertility research and treatment.
• The Indian Society for Assisted Reproduction (ISAR) honours him as a pioneer in reproductive science.
• Documentaries and biographical works such as “Ek Doctor Ki Maut” (1990), inspired by his life, highlighting the struggles of scientific innovators in bureaucratic systems.

Impact on Reproductive Science in India

Dr. Mukherjee’s work laid the foundation for India’s subsequent achievements in assisted reproductive technologies. His emphasis on scientific independence, ethical research, and cost-effective innovation continues to influence India’s fertility medicine practices.
Modern IVF laboratories in India owe their existence to the groundwork he laid in the 1970s. His approach towards integrating local resources, scientific ingenuity, and ethical commitment serves as a model for developing-world researchers.

Personal Traits and Philosophy

Subhas Mukherjee was known for his discipline, humility, and devotion to scientific truth. His work reflected both scientific precision and a deep humanitarian concern for infertile couples. He believed that the purpose of science was to alleviate human suffering through innovation and compassion.
His tragic death serves as a reminder of the need for institutional support, peer validation, and respect for indigenous research in developing nations.