Yelavarthy Nayudamma

Yelavarthy Nayudamma was a renowned chemical engineer and leather technologist who made significant contributions to the Indian leather industry and scientific research. He was born on 10 September 1922 in Yelavarru, a village in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. He was the eldest of three brothers and a sister. His parents were farmers who named him Nayudammma, meaning 'leader' in Telugu. He had his primary education in the village and later studied at Banaras Hindu University and Madras Institute of Leather Technology. He went to the UK and the USA for further education and obtained his doctoral degree from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Nayudamma joined the Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) in Chennai as a scientific officer in 1953. He became the director of the institute in 1958 at the age of 36, after being personally interviewed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He led the institute for more than 13 years and transformed it into a world-class research center for leather and allied fields. He established close ties with the Indian leather industry and organized the first International Leather Fair in 1964. He also initiated several research projects on leather, collagen, tanning, grafting, and futurology. He developed a theory of tanning based on the shrinkage phenomenon of leather and published many papers and books on his findings. Nayudamma also served as the Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi from 1971 to 1978. He was responsible for overseeing 48 national laboratories and more than 30,000 scientists. He introduced several reforms and innovations to improve the quality and relevance of scientific research in India. He also promoted international cooperation and collaboration among scientists and institutions. He was a member of many prestigious national and international committees and organizations, such as the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada, and the Committee on Science and Technology in Developing Countries (COSTED). Nayudamma was also appointed as the fourth Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi from 1981 to 1982. He was instrumental in developing the academic programs and infrastructure of the university. He also advocated for the integration of science and humanities in education and research. Nayudamma was widely recognized and honored for his achievements and contributions to science and society. He received many national and international awards, such as Padma Shri in 1971, Raja-Lakshmi Award in 1983, Watumull Foundation Award in 1977, Albert Einstein Gold Medal in 1979, FICCI Award in 1979, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize in 1961, among others. Nayudamma died tragically on 23 June 1985 at the age of 62 in a mid-air bombing of Air India Flight 182 over the Atlantic Ocean near Ireland. The terrorist attack was orchestrated by a Sikh extremist group called Babbar Khalsa. Nayudamma was on his way to attend a COSTED meeting in USSR and an IDRC meeting in Canada. He was survived by his wife Y. Pavana and his three children Rathiesh, Ramesh, and Shanti. His wife committed suicide after his death. He was buried in Ahakista, County Cork, Ireland along with other victims of the bombing. Nayudamma is remembered as a visionary, a leader, and a mentor who dedicated his life to the advancement of science and technology for the benefit of humanity. He inspired many young scientists and engineers with his passion and enthusiasm. He left behind a legacy of excellence and innovation that continues to influence the leather industry and scientific research in India and abroad.