“I became a lecturer at the young age of 19,” Professor Suresh Bhargava AM reminiscing his initial days

By Shashi Narasimhiah

Distinguished Professor Suresh Bhargava AM is a world-renowned interdisciplinary scientist who has achieved excellence in five disciplines and is recognised for delivering research excellence that underpins significant industrial applications. He has published over 550 journal articles and been cited over 21,300 times, with an h-index of 76. He is among the top 1% scientists in the resources sector and mercury sensing research for air pollution control and has supervised over 70 PhD students.   He has been conferred with the Queen’s Birthday 2022 honour – Member of the Order of Australia (AM). Indus Age spoke to the Professor recalling some older days, his research work in Australia and much more. Read on…

Tell us something about your childhood – where did you grow up, your parents and early education.

I grew up in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, U.P. which can be called now as the state with Unlimited Potential. My father was employed as a station master in the Indian Railways. I was always a bright student and motivated enough to do my best in chemistry which I found to be everywhere in our daily life. As a child I also wanted to become a pilot and I cleared the Services Selection Board (SSB) examination to join the Indian Air Force. But my mother did not want me to join the armed forces. So, after completion of my masters, I became a lecturer at the young age of 19. Not surprisingly, my students were the same age as me. So rather than teaching them as a professor, I taught them as friends.

Tell us something about your early days in UK and later in Australia. How difficult or easy was it to adapt to these places?

“It was difficult for me as an Indian PhD student to adjust to a technical life in the university of Exeter in UK. In the 80s, India was only known for their spices and cricket. The British Council had offered me a studentship under a very esteemed English scientist and former president of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Professor Eddie Abel. I used to spend most of my time in the labs observing my seniors and peers and learn organic synthesis techniques, tricks, and secrets. I needed to cover a lot of ground very fast since I had a fixed term scholarship of 3 years. Looking back, I can say I did extremely well to complete my PhD in 2.5 years very well in time and with 15 highly cited journal research articles. I was declared the best overseas research scholar of the Exeter university in 1980-81 and was invited to deliver a lecture at the Rotary Club Taunton, UK. Professor Able mentorship has left a lifelong impression on me which I have applied throughout my academic career when I met my students from different part of the world.”

Professor Suresh Bhargava AM

What motivated you to pursue a career in academia? Please share about your three-decade long journey.  

From my early job as a lecturer of chemistry to my PhD, I was always surrounded by chemistry professors and budding young scientists. An academic institution provides a vibrant environment filled with tremendous energy and potential. Moreover, you get to meet scientific leaders, subject experts and even Noble Laureates. So, I was always inclined towards academics. I landed in Canberra in 1983 to work for the Australian National University through the network of my mentors. In 1990, I joined the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) university in Melbourne as a lecturer in chemistry. Soon RMIT became my home ground where I rose from my initial role to several top-level positions such as the deputy pro-vice chancellor international research in 2017, Dean Research and Innovation and Distinguished professor. At RMIT I also founded a state-of-the-art research centre, The Centre for Advanced Materials, and Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), which I also lead as its director.

In my three-decade long journey, I have published over 600 journal articles and cited over 21,100 times with an H-index of 76. I am among the top 1% of scientists in the resources sector and pioneered eco-sustainable technologies for air and water pollution control.

You hold 12 patents, including one for engineering gold-based molecules for the treatment of cancer. Please let us know something about the patents.

Gold Bashma (gold ash) has been traditionally used for medicinal applications in India since historic times. As a chemist, I researched synthesis of gold compounds in different form, synthesis of complexes with unique structures, chelating agents, and novel ligands. Knowing that the platinum based organometallic complex cisplatin has anti-cancer activity, I was very confident that gold-based compounds should also have anti-cancer activity. Experimentation revealed that the conjecture was not only true, but some gold-based compounds were up to 200 times more active than cis platin, more selective and with lower side effects. One of my papers has gone viral to 240 media globally with a potential reader of 176 million.

You have been a founding architect of the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund, and also developed an award-winning Global PhD program that connects RMIT with 39 CSIRO laboratories in India. Tell us something about that.

India is a country with the 3D advantage: Demography, Democracy, and Diversity. But India lacks high-end research facilities, and the existing facilities are not accessible by all research students. On the other hand, Australian Universities have excellent facilities and research laboratories but always in shortage of more brainpower and manpower.

So, I wanted to bring the best out of both the countries by providing opportunities for cross-cultural exchange, international exposure, multidisciplinary learning and build an intellectual infrastructure. The unique program accomplishes all these goals. I believe, I have contributed significantly to connecting Australia and India, Academically, Technically, Culturally and Commercially. These two democracies have the power to change the life of 1/6 population of the world.

Request you to share about the moment you received the news that you were a part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

I was in my office when I received the letter that I am being conferred with the Queen’s Birthday 2022 honour – Member of the Order of Australia (AM). My initial reaction was of surprise and shock because I was not aware about my nomination at all. But the felling of surprise gave way to feelings of great elation and excitement. It is an incredible feeling to realise that your contributions are valued by others. I was thrilled that my adopted country has valued my three decades of hard work.

Kindly share something about your personal life. Do you still have family in India? Also, if there are any hobbies you pursue in your free time. 

My parents have passed away, but I still have my sibling in India, but my extended family is global. I have supervised over 60 PhD students and perhaps involved in mentoring over 200 students in different roles through my global network. It is always a great pleasure to connect with my students and share their excitements and hear about their challenges. I take it as my personal duty to motivate and foster innovation in my students so that they can meaningfully contribute towards the lives of the people and the planet itself. I also like gardening, yoga, cricket, and old Indian songs. I wish to leave the World a Better Place, then it was When I entered it and, being a teacher & researcher, I have the best opportunity.