Yellapragada Subbarao – Student of Science & Disciple to Humanity
“Karmanye Vadhika Raste Ma Phale Sukhadachana Ma Karma Phala He turbu Maate Sangotsva karmani” – You are only entitled to actions not results
1. Calculation of Phosphorus in the Body
2. ATP – Adenosine Triphoshphate – Energy Storage in the Body
3. ADP - Adenosine Monophosphate
4. Methotrexate
5. Synthesis of Folic Acid – Sprue Factor
6. Vitamin B12 Extraction
7. Aureomycin
8. Diethylcarbamazine
9. Polymyxin
10. Hetrazan
11. Vitamins B3, B5, B7
Please, just don’t conclude anything from the above list of items. Just read on to my few more words and move further.
What does the above list signify, a list of drugs or medicines that are either sold in a medicine store or used by a single patient or referred by a doctor or the prescription of a Doctor.
You would be pleased to know those were discovered about a century ago. You would be surprised to know that those were synthesized/discovered/facilitated/researched by a scientist person with his team. Your brains would blow up knowing he is not western. You might lose sleep or get a shock of your life, if you would learn his name. He is an Indian who worked in the United States of America. Many Doctors and Scientists, few of his kin are confident 50% population of this country might never have heard his name and those who have heard him might not have understood the gigantic contribution of this great son towards Humanity. In his words, “There is nothing greater than Service towards Humanity”.
On his death in the Year 1948 in US, below are few writings;
1. A Prominent Newspaper New York Herald Tribune said, we lost one of the most Eminent Medical Minds of the Century”
2. Doron Antrim's article in Argosy highlighted his contributions, stating that "because he lived, you may be alive and well today,
3. Time Magazine featured his portrait, further solidifying his status among esteemed scientists of his era.
4. He was also labelled as the Father of Cancer Chemotherapy.
Let’s understand or read about another story. Probably in 1910 or something, you failed in Matriculation again for the second time. Your father tortured me when he was alive, never cared for the family. He had a meagre income not enough to support our family. I had to take care of the house even after having your father as a male earner. He passed away, even with my children my fate continues. I don’t know the sins I have committed for this poor and despair life. These are the words of Venkamma, mother of a young boy in a small village Bhimavaram in the then Madras Presidency before Independence. The son, 7th child, failed in his matriculation in his second attempt. The mother was furious, but she was determined and believed Education has the power to change the lives of people. She sent the boy to Madras (now Chennai) to complete his matriculation. She mortgaged her jewelry.
What do you think the boy might end up with?
Most probable answer would be, he would fail again or end up leading a mediocre life.
In case, someone anticipated a miracle in the boy’s life and he would do something great in his life. Then I would say, probably you may not be wrong.
Here is the catch, the above two paragraphs are about the same person. The Young boy who failed twice in Matriculation went onto become one of the biggest scientists of 21st Century. He is considered as Miracle Man of 21st Century. His contributions to Humanity and Science cannot be shared in words. He can be hailed and honored in the lines of legendary Alexander Fleming (founder of Penicillin) and Ronald Rose (founder of medicine for malaria). He is Dr. Yellapragada Subbarao, a Sceintist, Humanitarian, Micro-biologist who is credited to have changed the lives of millions of people on Earth. Dr. Subbarao has pioneered in his research towards finding many chemicals during his research and his findings a century ago are still helping scientists today in the service towards Humanity. Though he is not highly decorated or talked about nor his contributions well shared. He is one of the underrated genius in his country and in his Mother state.
This is the story of the Brightest Sons of Mother India, whose contributions have changed the World of Medicine forever and helping the field of medicine and Humanity.
Yellapragada Subbarao was born to Venkamma and Jagannatham poor Niyogi Brahmin couple in a small village Bhimavaram in erstwhile Madras Presidency (now Andhra Pradesh) on 12th Jan 1895. Subbarao was not great at studies in his childhood, he failed in Matriculation two times. Father’s meagre income was not sufficient to raise the children and the entire household management was in the hands of Venkamma. Seeing the suffering due to Poverty, young Subbarao at the age of 13-14 wanted to go to Kasi/Varanasi along with one of his cousin and sell Bananas. He heard someone saying, business is good at Kashi and they can earn money and come back to home and remove the hurdles of their life. But he was caught in the midway as someone alerted his mother and had to return. Though Subbarao didn’t perform great during studies but he had an inquisitive mind and a sharp memory which later helped him. When he failed for the second time, Mother Venkamma sent him to Madras (now Chennai) for Matriculation. This time, the boy passed and later got admission into Madras Presidency College for his Intermediate. It was during this time he had a roommate Ramamoorthy who was instrumental in his life as he both supported him financially and mentally. Inspired by Moothy, Subbarao also studied well. During one of his exams, the professor labeled Subbarao as cheat as he could write the exact words from the book during the exams. Subbarao refuted and demanded re-exam. The professor was amazed by the Photographic memory of the student. It was also during this time, he was closely associated with Ramakrishna Math and wanted to become a Monk as he wanted understand the real purpose of life. But the Lead monks persuaded him against it and asked to do good for the Humanity through medical research. Even his mother was also against him becoming a monk. Subbarao understood his principal aim of his life to serve Humanity. As a result he joined in Madras Presidency College for his MBBS degree in 1915 with financial help from Kasturi Surya Prakash Rao. It was the same person whose daughter Subbarao had to marry for supporting him in his education. The girl was aged 13-14 at that time, Subbarao agreed but asked them to wait till the girl ages marriageable age. Subbarao was studious and was performing well but the Nationalist ideas also influenced him. During this time civil Disobedience movement made him to wear the apron made of Khadi. This irritated his surgical professor, M C Bradfield. As a result, despite performing well in exams, in 1921 he received a lesser Licentiate of Medicine and Surgery (LMS) certificate instead of a full MBBS degree. This acted as a deterrent in the initial days for him, but his merit, hardwork & dedication helped him in his future. In 1919, Subbarao agreed to marry Seshagiri as promised. But just before his wedding, he suffered from tropical sprue which nearly took his life. The medical staff from his college and the medicines from Allopathy didn’t help his case even with best administration by his professor. As a last chance he was administered Ayurveda medicines by a professor from Lakshmipathi College of Ayurveda institute which cured him. Then Subbarao understood the power of Ayurveda and wanted to learn more about Ayurveda. Subbarao was given a teaching position in the Ayurveda College but the salary was meagre, though raised it was still not sufficient to feed his wife and Mother.
Even during his teaching days, he was interested in spending time to research on new things. During his MBBS days, he met a medical practitioner from the United States who shared there are good opportunities for research in US and the benefits. Since then Subbarao became more interested in research but his financial status made him think twice. He tried for many donors and even sought help from his elder brother had accomplice with an influential family. But with support from his father in law and other donors. Subbarao was ready to go to US for his research. Just before he was determined to go for research he lost both his brothers a younger one and the elder one to tropical sprue which also was about to take his life. Subbarao was determined to conduct research and serve humanity.
Saying this Subbarao started to America to study in Boston at The School of Tropical Medicine in 1922, October. As he was interested in finding a cure to the illness that took away the lives of his siblings, he joined the institute. Subbarao was short of funds for his academics and wanted to work on part time to compensate. He used to work in a hospital in the night cleaning the beds of the patients and study in the lab during the day. Sometime later, a Samaritan agreed to fund him as he heard about Subbarao difficulites, his diligence and his dedication. Subbarao graduated from the institute and then he went on to research at Harvard Medical School for a Phd in Biochemistry. His wife was carrying when he left India. The boy born in 1923 May/June died 9 months later. Though hurt Subbarao was not completely devastated by the news. He knew about his son death as he believed in astrology and was foretold by an astrologist. Subbarao aim was to stay in US for sometime research and discover some good medicines, earn a degree and return back to India. But destiny had different plans, it never happened. He never set his foot back into his motherland.
During his PhD he along with his professor Fiske calculated the amount of phosphorous in the human body and the method was known as Fiske-SubbaRow method. This was one of the best methods available at that time and scientists around the world welcomed the method. One of the First, Best and probably not the last one Subbarao discovered or synthesized.
How our body gets energy, we say we eat food and then it gets converted to energy. But the chemistry behind it was discovered by Subbarao and Fiske. They discovered ATP as the source of energy, muscle contains two-thirds phosphocreatine at rest, which gradually decreases as the muscle contracts and returns to normal once the muscle reaches a state of relaxation. But Dr. Lohman published his work earlier and was credited for the discovery of ATP. Subbarao received PhD for his work on ATP from the Haward Medical School and he continued his research till 1940.
He continued to remain in touch with his in-laws and his beloved wife through letters and longed to go back to India. He received an offer as a faculty in Kolkata and was told he would be given the position of a lecturer as he is not British. Subbarao declined the offer and stated his academic credentials may not grant him the status it needs in his own country and lamented a lot.
During one of his letters to his father-in-law in English during his study at Tropical centre, Subbarao shared he didn’t waste a single moment of his time. He said, I either study in the college or do research or do part-time. He tried to show his sincerity and loyalty to his in-laws who have funded his research to a great extent. And wrote, I am sharing this point only to you, not to show my sincerity, or my goodness but out of respect towards the faith you had in me. He also requested his in-law to tear the letter after reading it. I don’t want anyone to read it as it is a feeling that can be shared only between us.
In 1940 Dr. Subbarao left Haward and went on to work in Lederle laboratories as director of research. He agreed for 50% cut in his fee provided the company build a new research laboratory near the Pearl River. In 1941, Dr with his team was able to synthesize folic acid and find a cure for tropical sprue. The disease which killed his brothers and almost took his life. Dr continued his research as he thought there might be another factor and isolated a pink solution but failed to recognize it, which was later identified as B12 by Merck Lab.
At lederle he performed patented forms of Pencilin, riboflavin and other vitamins. He then researched on the discovery of anti-biotics. During this research the team found world’s first tetracycline anti-biotic aureomycin. 1994 Surat Plague which caused widespread devastation in India mostly in the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. A derivative of aureomycin, doxycycline helped control the disease and limited it.
Later Dr worked on a medicine to prevent parasitic deaths amongst soldiers. He developed Diethylcarbamazine a drug used to cure filarisis and is approved by WHO.
In addition to this, Dr furthered his reaserch towards finding a cure towards cancer. His team found folic acid as a supporter and destroyer of Cancer cells. Further research on this subject helped them in discovering Methotrexarate. The chemical used in the cure of cancer through Chemotherapy. Subbarow was hailed as the Father of Cancer Chemotherapy. MTX later was used to cure psoriasis.
In 1948, in the late night the great son of Humanity Dr. Subbarao died peacefully in his sleep on Aug 9th. His obituaries were published in multiple magazines in US and shared by many eminent Scientisits.
It is said, Doctor had authored more than 100 technical papers and left substantial amounts of unpublished works. Another eminent Nobel laureate George Hitchings praised DR for his humility, belief in team work and never seeking credit for his discoveries. His professor out of jealousy did not allow Dr to come into limelight and had subdued lot of his discoveries and works.
Then that comes to another point, such a great son of the Humanity was not praised, decorated much. May be it was his words and his philosophy that made Mother Nature or the Destiny behave in such a way. Dr philosophy was “ Victories in science are rare to achieve single-handedly; no man should get the (entire) credit”. He was more interested in serving humanity through his works. A man who worked all days of the week away from his wife, Mother, Motherland served Humanity.
Following his death, Lederle Laboratories started a laboratories in India in Bombay. A stamp was released in his honor on his centenary by Govt of India. There is a bust of Dr. Subbarao in Nizam Institute of bio-Chemistry in Hyd. In his hometown there is an organization that celebrates his life.
“Dr.Subbarao Lived so we are Living Longer”
