The Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, popularly known as SINP, is a research and academic institution, which is established with the aim of basic research and training in physical and biophysical sciences. Named after the famous Indian physicist Megh Nad Saha, this institute has proved and is still proving its excellence in various field of research and study and has established itself as an educational organization of national as well as international repute.

History of SINP

In order to find the historical background behind the establishment of SNIP, the role of Palit Research Laboratory becomes very crucial. It was a laboratory under the Department of Physics of the University of Calcutta. When Scientist Saha became the Palit professor in 1938, he professed the emerging importance of Nuclear Physics. With his initiative Nuclear Physics became a part of the academic curriculum. But as the research started, necessity of a small scale cyclotron was realized and later on with the help of Jawaharlal Nehru and Tata patronage, the Institute of Nuclear Physics was established in Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road in the year 1949. In the late eighties with the hope of further expansion, of this institute and its curriculum, it was shifted to Bidhannagar, known also as Salt Lake City.

According to the latest information available, this prestigious institution comprises 125 faculty members, 80 graduate students and 20 post doctoral fellows. Total strength of SNIP is almost 650.

Administration of SINP

In the year 1992, the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics made a contract with the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India. With empowerment of the contract, SINP remains as an autonomous body but the administrative control shifts to the hands of the Department of Atomic Energy. The University of Calcutta also recognizes this research institution as a center for conducting research and facility provider for research and teaching in physical and biological sciences.

Courses in SINP

Recognized mainly as a research institution, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics offers various types of courses to the interested scholars. Here follows brief information about all these courses.

Courses on Biophysical Sciences

• Crystallography and Molecular Biology: Research conducted at the Crystallography and Molecular Biology division, mainly focuses in the area of high resolution protein structures. Research scholars are focusing on expansion and initiation of research, which is particularly cultivating the genetic foundation of disease and also finds ways to cure such ailments, using molecular biology techniques and signal transduction.
  
  
• Biophysics: Research scholars in Biophysics department aim the B-lymphomas/leukemia cells for the purpose of designing a gene based vehicle for proper cancer therapy.
  
  
• Chemical Sciences: Researchers, who are willing to research on various fields of Chemical Sciences, they are required to focus on Biophysical Chemistry, Nuclear and Radiochemistry, Photochemistry and Radiation Chemistry and research on Polymers and Materials Science.
  
  
• Structural Genomics

There are also various other courses offered by this institution, which are as follows:

• Advanced Research and Education (CARE)
• Applied Mathematics and Computational Sciences
• Condensed Matter Physics
• High Energy Physics and Microelectronics
• Nuclear Physics
• Material Physics

Except all these courses, the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics or SINP has introduced two new approaches, in order to add new horizon to their academic structure, which includes, Teaching and Training Program and Saha Theory Group.

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