Yella…the unknown scientist
At a time when the country is increasingly getting recognition for its prowess in Science and Technology, it is indeed gratifying to note that it doesn’t suffer from lack of role models, except that these role models are not often brought to the light of common public by the press and by the educators. It is not my argument that every youngster wants to be software professional, or that there are no opportunities in fields other than software. On the contrary, it is an established fact that India’s credentials in fields other than software, such as pharmaceuticals, design, medicine and finance are being increasingly recognized all over the world. Such an achievement would not have been possible without the support of illustrious men and women and the institutions they built.
And there have been several of them who have made this possible, some known and some unknown. But the irony of it all is that the greatest biochemist ever born in India, and truly one of India’s greatest applied scientists ever remains largely unknown to vast majority of educated Indians. He is Yella Pragada Subba Row. He was born in 1895 and died in 1948, almost unsung and unheard in his homeland, India. Almost exactly one hundred years after his birth, plague struck large parts of northern India, in 1994. The disease dissipated soon after under the impact of the wondrous “Tetracycline”, a drug fathered by Subba Row, decades earlier. It happened as if to remind India, that the story of this worthy son had to be remembered and celebrated. The government naturally, was thrilled to know that Tetracycline was fathered by Subba Row and immediately announced his centenary celebrations.
Born into a poor Andhra family in 1895, in Bhimavaram, Subba Row’s life was mired in grinding poverty for a considerable time. Besides, death and disease dogged his family members continuously, consuming his two siblings, and his father. This left a very deep impression in his mind and he became all the more determined to find a cure for the disease. His early years of schooling were none too impressive, and he had to switch schools repeatedly. Once he even tried running away to Varanasi in order to make money by selling bananas to the pilgrims. However, this attempt was botched up as he was intercepted and brought back to his mother, who drilled in him the need to achieve in life. This was an important influence in his life and is worth pointing out that all India heroes right from Sivaji, Mahatma Gandhi et al, were shaped by their mother’s influence. The weight of tradition and the influence of mother are of paramount importance in a child’s life. Yellaprada’s life is another telling illustration of the important role that a mother play’s in shaping her child’s character formation.
His repeated poor academic performances finally brought him to Hindu High School in Triplicane, Madras, for his matriculation examination. This time however he passed, and soon joined the Madras Presidency College for an intermediate program, majoring in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. Around this time, he came under the spell of Madras Ramakrishna Mission and was even willing to join the order as a Sanyasi. But the Mission refused him this favour, and instead goaded him to become a medical professional. Thus, inspired and goaded by the mission, the young Subba Row became a student of the Madras Medical College and was well on his way to become a doctor. His determination to become a doctor and help fight diseases was soon challenged by his own response to Gandhiji’s clarion call for boycotting British goods. As he started attending classes in hand-spun khaddar, his Professor Sir MC Bradfield was not impressed by this demeanor of his and as a punishment awarded him the inferior LMS certificate.
Subba Row was not a person to be easily cowed down by such experiences and he became all the more determined to go to United States, for specializing in Tropical Medicine. Going abroad for higher studies in those days was definitely not an easy preposition. To a large extent he depended on his brother Shri Purushottam who promised him some help from one of the Kakinada based charities. Unfortunately, his brother passed away having been consumed by the deadly sprue. Subba Row’s first attempt to secure admission at the prestigious Harvard School of Tropical Medicine thus ended in failure. Subba Row for the time being abandoned his plan of going abroad and instead joined the Madras Ayurveda College founded by Dr Lakshmipathy. He thought that he would be able to contribute to mankind by researching on traditional aspects of medicine. Here he tried to standardize the utility of Indian herbs for Ayurveda practitioners, by integrating the works of great Ayurveda practitioners of the past such as Charaka, Drudhabala, Vrudha, Susruta and Vagabata. However, he soon found the atmosphere at Madras Ayurveda College not conducive for research. This increasingly frustrated him, and in sheer desperation he tried to enter Madras Medical Service; but success eluded him hereto.
Subba Row once again applied to Harvard School of Tropical Medicine mentioning in his resume that he was researching on Ayurveda. Prof Strong of the School of Tropical Medicine was not impressed, and replied by saying that “that we do not think we can render you the assistance you desire", and further urged him to continue pursue his studies in India. But Subba Row once again put forth his case and was finally able to secure admission but without scholarship. Having secured admission Subba Row was desperately in need of money. Help finally came through his Father-in-law who managed to raise Rs 2500/-. With the ticket to New York costing Rs. 1300/-, Subba Row was now left with only $100 US, and he had to pay a fee of $ 50 US, in advance. However, Dr Strong, the Head of the School of Tropical Medicine ventured out to help him financially for meeting out some of his initial expenses. Scholarship however was not forthcoming, and his Indian Medical degree could not help him in getting internship in any of the Boston Hospitals. To make a living and also in order to support himself, he worked as a night porter in the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. His task among other things included the washing of urinals and bedpans of patients.
Eventually Subba Row graduated with a Diploma in Tropical Medicine from Harvard University, and right earnestly began his career under Dr Cyrus Fiske, his mentor. From then on there was no looking back as discoveries followed one after the other. Some of his achievements are listed below:
? Invented the “Rapid Calorimetric Method”, a tool which is even now used by chemists the world over for estimating the quanta of phosphorus in body fluids and tissues. Since he was working under Dr Fiske, the method was captioned as “Fiske-Subba Row” method.
? In the course of his research, he & Fiske were able to show that the Nobel Prize Committee erred in awarding the 1922 Medicine Prize to Hill & Meyer Hoff. Hill & Meyer Hoff had tried to explain muscular contraction in terms of conversion of glycogen to lactic acid. Instead Subba Row attributed the source of muscular energy to the newly discovered Adenosine Triphosphate. However, the orthodox punditry refused to accept this new idea and it took some time before this discovery gained universal acceptance. Since he did not take credit for his discoveries and merely identified himself as a technician working for Fiske, the Harvard School of Medicine was not willing to provide him with the necessary budgetary support. The tenure position was also not forthcoming and Subba Row soon left Harvard to work for the newly founded Lederle Laboratories.
? Under his leadership his team discovered the vitamin Folic acid, and its manipulated derivative anti-folic Methotrexate. To this day these molecules have proven to be immensely beneficial for mankind. Folic acid, which was used initially for treating tropical sprues and anaemia, is currently a prescribed medication for expectant mothers.
? Gramicidin, the world’s first antibiotic, used for first aid dressings, was first patented by Subba Row’s team
? His team also discovered Auremocyinn, the world’s first oral antibiotic. This proved to be wonder drug as for the first time this single drug could cure infections caused by both gram positive and gram-negative bacteria. Hetrazan, a cure for filarial, was discovered by Subba Row and his team. This drug is being currently used on a mass scale to fight filarial related diseases. Aminopterin, a drug that is used to treat leukaemia, was also first identified by Subba Row’s team
Subba Row was a great motivator who led his team with great humility. Always unassuming he never took personal credit for the discoveries. He was of the belief that "The victories of science are rarely won single handed. No one man should get the credit." This unassuming man was such a symbol of humility that he was found in the back row discussing with his assistant about the plans of a new cancer research laboratory, even as his co-discoverer was presenting the newly discovered Aureomycin to the world. More aptly he was like a shepherd that cared for a flock of all-important sheep that went on to discover some of the most amazing drugs ever. Some of the important people that he mentored included Coy Waller, Sydney Farber, Reginald Hewitt and Benjamin Duggar. Each one of them went on to win enormous laurels subsequently.
Early on in his career, Subba Row was a victim of Harvard University’s neglect. Although it denied him the prestigious Professorship, it wouldn’t care even about providing basic facilities for research. But for Lederle, which had set its eyes on him, Subba Row would have simply withered away unknown to this world. Although success did smile on him later, he became a constant victim of intrigues. Plagued by intrigues and jealousy of his colleagues Subba Row had to suffer many ignominies. Nobel Laureate George Hitchings, one of his erstwhile colleagues recounted how Fiske, Subba Row’s co-worker and mentor apparently out of jealousy did not let his contributions be publicized, and consequently some of the work already done by Subba Row had to be rediscovered several years later by other workers. Yet the great Subba Row continued to work on, without caring for name or fame, or even be bothered about by constant intrigues of his mean-minded colleagues. In that sense, he was a true “Karma Yogi”, and he died a “Karma Yogi”, unheard of even in his own motherland.
Death soon caught up with this untiring researcher in 1948, when he was just 53 years of age. The greatest tribute probably came from the Herald Tribune obituary, which said that "Probably not more than a handful of laymen ever heard his name...there was little in the written record to describe this modest Indian, who stimulated the imagination of hundreds of colleagues”. Even to this day this tribute is quite appropriate, as only a handful amongst the billion strong Indians have heard about him. Or as Raji-Narasimhan his biographer aptly puts it “Because he lived, you may be alive and well today. Because he lived, you may live a little longer.” And for a nation that is slowly waking up from a 1000-year stupor there cannot be greater role models than Subba Row.
References:
An Indian scientist in America: the story of Dr. Yellapragada Subba Row: By S P Gupta
Yellapragada Subba Row: A Life in Quest of Panacea: By Raji Narasimhan