Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science marks 150 years

Kolkata: The Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, IACS, has completed 150 years, celebrating a legacy of intellectual curiosity, scientific excellence and national service.

In an article marking the milestone, Shekhar Mande wrote that the institution continues to inspire generations of researchers. Founded at a time when scientific research in India received little official encouragement, IACS was envisioned by Mahendralal Sircar as a place where Indians could contribute to the advancement of knowledge.

The institute emerged during the late 18th and 19th centuries, a period of profound intellectual and cultural awakening in India. Bengal, at the centre of what came to be known as the Bengal Renaissance, became the hub of this transformation.

The movement spurred advances across philosophy, spirituality, literature, arts, education, social reform and the natural sciences. It produced philosophers, reformers, educators, scientists, writers and artists whose work laid many of the intellectual and institutional foundations of modern India.

IACS was born from that same spirit, and over 150 years has played a key role in shaping India’s scientific landscape.