Dr Hosmane, a distinguished son of the soil, searches for a cure for cancer

Florine Roche spoke to Dr. Hosmane who is pursuing with vigor, a cure for cancer at the University of Illinois.

Dr. Narayana Bhat Hosmane is a perfect example of how education is the key to beating poverty and attaining success. A native of Gokarna, a small temple town of Kumta Taluk in Uttara Kannada District, Dr. Narayana Bhat has made a name for himself in the field of Chemistry and also as a scientist through his path breaking research in the field of Cancer. He did not allow his rural background or his poverty to alter his confidence or prevent him from accomplishing what he set out to do. His accomplishments are internationally recognized even as they receive only muted recognition in his home country.

Hosmane has many firsts to his credit including being the lone foreign student to be awarded a scholarship by Scotland’s Edinburgh University. His accomplishments in the field of Boron Chemistry in finding a possible cure for all kinds of Cancer, is creating quite a sensation the world over. Credit goes to him for changing the trajectory of the boron chemistry research by converting it into a more popular cancer research in the US combining it with nanotechnology. Five of the books he has written have been acclaimed internationally. He attributes his success to ‘positive’ thinking, hard work and unwavering grit, which he says, has helped shape his life.

He added another feather into his thinking cap when the Journal of Organometallic Chemistry, a well-known periodical from the US, dedicated a special issue in June this year in honour of this great achiever who has a record of more than 350 essays to his credit in the field of Boron Chemistry. The editorial of the special issue of the journal calls him a ‘rare scientist’ for his pivotal role in setting up the Boron Research Institute in the US. He has been the recipient of awards from more than 25 countries for his contributions in the field of science.

A Rare Scientist
Dr. Hosmane celebrated his 70th birthday on June 30, 2018, but age has only weathered him not withered him. In contrast, it has only added to his zeal. Dr. Hosmane who moved to the US in 1976 is presently a special researcher at Illinois University has no plans to retreat or retire. He wants to continue till he reaches his goal. He says “I will be the happiest person if I am part of the team that is able to find a complete cure for cancer”.

Dr. Hosmane responded enthusiastically over the telephone from Chicago in the US about his early years in Gokarna, the scourge of poverty, his early schooling, and how education proved to be the stepping stone for his success making him what he is today.

Though it is more than 45 years since Hosmane left India he speaks in chaste Kannada and also Konkani, which he learned courtesy his wife, whose mother tongue is Konkani. “The 23 years I spent in India are the best days of my life I can say – full of energy, filled with the uncertainties of life, and despite those, dreams and hopes for the future. In hindsight I believe the poverty of the early years gave me the strength to become what I am today”, says Dr. Hosmane. Despite his enormous success, at heart, he still remains a small town boy. He is in constant touch with his class and college mates from his hometown.

Love Affair with Chemistry
Dr. Hosmane’s transformation from a small town boy from Gokarna, a small temple town of Uttara Kannada into a top-notch scientist is both fascinating and inspiring.

His thirst for knowledge, mostly scientific was quenched only partially at the nearby library. “As my mother used to come home late after working in many households I used to go to the nearby library to read as I had spare time till mother came home. Here I always read science books as they provided answers to some of the questions that cropped up in my mind”, recalls Dr. Hosmane.

He had his primary education in Gokarna and completed his high school from Bhadrakali High School there. He completed his BSc degree in Chemistry with Botany from Kanara College Kumta, commuting almost 12 km to and fro daily.

His love affair with Chemistry began at this college because science students had no other choice but to opt for chemistry as a major subject. Of course, this love affair had its genesis elsewhere. To quote his words “In Gokarna, during the summer we used to sleep on the seashore for the sheer thrill of it The star-laden sky tested my curiosity and that got me interested in science. Even the sea waves kindled my interest in the science field”, DrHosmanepoints out.

He likens his love for Chemistry to traditional Indian arranged marriages. “In traditional Indian marriages, the couple marries first and then they fall in love. My love for Chemistry can be likened to Indian arranged marriage. I had to opt for Chemistry as I had no other choice and then I just fell in love and the bond grew stronger by the day!”. Ironically, Dr. Hosmane also settled for an arranged marriage in real life and he saw his wife at the airport just a day prior to the wedding. His wife Sumathy, he says, has been his pillar of strength. “My wife’s constant nagging which later turned out to be a great support has played a major role in my success making me what I am today”, he fondly avers.

Dr. Hosmane had to go to Dharwad for his post-graduation in M.Sc and came out of that test with flying colours – He secured a gold medal. His academic excellence fetched him a scholarship to the Edinburg University in Scotland. He moved to Scotland in 1971 from where he completed his Ph.D. in just two and a half years. With this scholarship, Hosmane created history as he became the lone foreign student to be awarded the scholarship by the Edinburgh University. He saved a part of the stipend he got as a scholarship student to send to his family back in Gokarna. In 1976 he moved to the USA and after serving at various institutions he finally joined the Northern Illinois University in Chicago in 1998 where he continues to be a Research Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry conducting cancer research.

The memories of those early days of his struggle are vivid in the mind of Dr. Hosmane who recalls that he had to write on the floor and memorize his school lessons as his parents could not afford to buy him notebooks. Hosmane still remembers the taste of the stale (sour)food he used to eat as a child. “My mother used to work in the neighborhood households and she used to bring the leftover food given by them. She used to work in many households without coming home in between. Gokarna is known for its scorching heat in summer and by the time my mother came home the food used to become gluey and rancid in taste. We had no other choice but to eat that food and over a period of time I almost developed a taste for it”, Hosmane says wryly. So much so, a few years back when he came to Mumbai and his mother asked him whether he would like her to cook any of his favorite foods, Hosmane told his mother that he longs to taste the gluey and stale food he was used to eating as a child. It is a poignant reminder of the kind of impact poverty can have on an impressionable mind.

The Eternal Wonder Boy
Apart from his academic excellence, Dr. Hosmane proved his mettle as a quick learner even in fields which he felt were not his forte. For example, Hosmane was lured to play squash with John Sawage who was his batch-mate and was studious like Dr. Hosmane. In Edinburgh Hosmane’s landlady had advised him to have a bath once a week because bathrooms there are like half size bathtubs. Dr. Hosmane was used to Desi style bath. So when he spoke about it with John he advised him to join him in playing squash as it also entails a hot water shower after playing. Having taught Dr. Hosmane how to play squash one day John challenged Dr. Hosmane to beat him, which he did and that is when John first nicknamed him as “wonder boy”.

The title became popular when Dr. Hosmane once again displayed his inherent talent. Learning German was essential for students at Edinburgh University as the Ph.D. which he was pursuing required German knowledge. John Sawage who had joined German classes was struggling with the subject. Dr. Hosmane had plans to study German in the second year. When he glanced John’s German textbook out of curiosity he felt German was easy because of his Sanskrit background. “German originated from Sanskrit and hence with my Sanskrit background, I found it easy. I answered the exam without attending any classes and was the only one among the 14 to pass and that too with distinction”, recalls Dr. Hosmane. With this achievement, he became the eternal “wonder boy” for his batch mates.

Dr. Hosmane has retained his ‘wonder boy’ image and has been able to make remarkable headway in pursuit of his dreams. It is these dreams that keep him going.

Despite his stupendous achievements, he is in touch with his roots back in Gokarna. Hosmane remembers the names of his school and college mates and friends with whom he shares a close camaraderie and remembers most of the incidents of his school and college days. He loves to chat with his friends back in Gokarna which he says, makes him happy. And that is what matters the most to him.