# P.M. Bhargava’s vision gave India CCMB, new biography shows 2026-08-09T07:41:43+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet A new biography of Pushpa M. Bhargava, the founder of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad, reveals that his 1959 blueprint for a national biology lab matched the institute he created in 1977 almost exactly. The biography, 'The Man and The Making of Modern Biology in India', is by Chandana Chakrabarti, Bhargava's longtime associate. The Hindu reports that Bhargava, a chemistry PhD who switched to biology, drafted the note in 1959 after realising India was missing the molecular biology revolution. The proposal was repeatedly rejected by committees until the 1973 oil crisis prompted him to write directly to the CSIR Director-General. CCMB was formed on paper on April 1, 1977. ## Coverage - thehindu.com Tags: biography, CCMB, CSIR, molecular biology, P.M. Bhargava, science policy Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/p-m-bhargavas-vision-gave-india-ccmb-new-biography-shows/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/p-m-bhargavas-vision-gave-india-ccmb-new-biography-shows/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.