His name was Yellapragada Subbarao.
He was born on January 12 1895 in Bhimavaram, in present-day Andhra Pradesh. His family was poor. Several of his siblings died young from disease.
He studied at Madras Medical College but his British professor deliberately gave him a lesser diploma instead of a full MBBS degree.
He scraped together enough money and sailed to America in 1923. He arrived in Boston with almost nothing.
To pay his fees at Harvard Medical School he worked as an attendant at a hospital, cleaning rooms and changing bedsheets at night. Colleagues called him the Indian who cleans toilets.
He did not stop.
At Harvard he began research with chemist Cyrus Fiske. Together they developed the Fiske-Subbarao method for measuring phosphorus in body fluids, still used in biochemistry today.
He then discovered the role of phosphocreatine and adenosine triphosphate in muscular activity. That discovery entered biochemistry textbooks worldwide.
It is what we now call ATP, the energy currency of every living cell.
Harvard denied him a full professorship. He was a foreigner and had few friends in the right circles.
His colleague Cyrus Fiske suppressed and destroyed many of his contributions out of jealousy. Years of Subbarao’s work had to be rediscovered by other scientists because Fiske would not let them be published.
He joined Lederle Laboratories instead. There he developed the first method to synthesise folic acid, Vitamin B9.
He showed it could treat megaloblastic anaemia and tropical sprue. He then helped develop methotrexate, one of the first chemotherapy drugs, still used today to treat cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.
He led the team that discovered Aureomycin, the first tetracycline antibiotic, more powerful than penicillin, which saved hundreds of thousands of lives during and after World War II.
He never became an American citizen. He lived in the United States for 25 years on a temporary visa. He applied for permanent residence and never received it.
On August 8 1948 he died of cardiac arrest in New York. He was 53 years old. No citizenship. No Nobel Prize. No fame.
A writer named Doron Antrim wrote this about him in 1950. “You have probably never heard of Dr. Yellapragada Subbarao. Yet because he lived, you may be alive today.”
The drug that treated your anaemia. The antibiotic that fought your infection. The chemotherapy that gave someone more time.
All of it traces back to a man from Bhimavaram who cleaned hospital rooms to pay his Harvard fees.
India forgot him. Science did not.
Follow for stories India deserves to remember.
Archbishop of Bengaluru Dr. Peter Machado and Auxiliary Bishop of Mumbai Stephen Fernandes visited the Ashram and commended @ArtofLiving’s 45 years of service to humanity.
Also received warm wishes from Former President @PresRajapaksa and @RajapaksaNamal of Sri Lanka.
Scoring 99.4% in the CBSE Class 10 examinations, Swara Mantry’s journey reflects a balance of focused preparation and inner steadiness.
She shares how practices like Sudarshan Kriya, meditation, and the Intuition Process, along with the consistent support of her teachers, helped her stay calm, confident, and dedicated throughout.
With values like sincerity, discipline, and positivity guiding her, this achievement reflects growth not just academically, but as an individual.
In a world constantly searching for calm, @Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has become a voice millions continue to turn to. As he turns 70, this week’s cover story explores the journey, influence and global appeal of the spiritual leader who has shaped conversations around peace, meditation and human connection across borders. @ArtofLiving
With voices from public life, personal reflections and exclusive insights, the story looks at the many layers behind his enduring impact on people around the world.
Also in this issue:
• One year after Operation Sindoor and how drones are changing modern warfare
• Why the Iran war is fuelling fears of a wider arms race
• Karan Johar on cinema, commerce and why films should make money too
• A special health supplement on the brain, computers and our future
The new issue of The Week is out now. Pick up your copy today.
(The Week, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, spirituality, mindfulness, global guru, peace initiatives, cover story, Karan Johar interview, world affairs)
#TheWeek #GurudevSriSriRaviShankar
.@Gurudev launched @ArtofLiving ‘s free school movement, SchoolExl which will directly impact over 1,00,000 children across 1,327+ free schools in 22 states, covering 2,032 rural, tribal, and urban communities: https://t.co/LEewHDTlcZ @NewIndianXpress@ssrvm@aolschools@Bhanujgd
The SSRVM family wishes our Chairman & Managing Trustee - Commodore HG Harsha @hgharsha , a very Happy Birthday!
Your leadership and commitment to Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji's vision continue to inspire us every day. ✨
#HappyBirthday #SSRVM #EducationMatters #LeadershipWithGrace #BirthdayWishes
Education shouldn’t just be about information-shopping. It needs to develop a resilient personality — one that is friendly, all-encompassing and free of prejudice.
Addressed eminent educationists and academicians from premier institutions in Kumbakonam.
Skillfully handling the objects of the senses and bringing the mind back to the Self is Vairagya. Vairagya helps free the mind from the craving for happiness.
Patience is not laziness, and intensity is not restlessness or feverishness. Achieving anything in life requires the skill to balance intensity with patience. #Success
जो प्रकृति में है उलझा,
वह दुल्हन का सगा सरीखा।
परब्रह्म में जो लय हो जाए,
वह दूल्हे का सहज सहावे।
दूल्हा आए प्रेम लिए,
संग बारात हर्ष लुटाए।
दुल्हन पक्ष, जो श्रम में रत,
जीवन के संकल्प रचाए।
उत्सव दोनों ओर होता है,
पर दुल्हन पक्ष ही रोता है।
At this hour of grief and rage, the whole world should come together to show the place of the terrorists where they belong to. Every sane person will condemn this, but now it is not just enough to condemn , there is a need for action. Everyone should come together and really corner these people who have been indoctrinated in such terrorist mindsets. It should be nipped at the bud where such indoctrination is given wherever it is in the world. Innocent peoples lives are targeted by this inhumane behaviour which should be done away with. At this hour of grief let us all pray for the strength of the families of victims: @Gurudev
#PahalgamTerroristAttack #pahalgamattack #Pahalgam #JammuAndKashmir #TerrorAttack
( @ANI@ians_india@PTI_News@PMOIndia@AmitShah@ShivAroor@gauravcsawant@AdityaRajKaul@RShivshankar@navikakumar@ARanganathan72@AnchorAnandN@AnupamPKher@vivekagnihotri )
Terrorists will never succeed in their agenda. Their heinous acts have put them on the path of self-destruction. They will be brought to justice — in this world and the next. The entire humanity stands in solidarity with those who have lost their near and dear ones.
#Pahalgam
MoUs were also signed with leading educational institutions including Shri Rawatpura Sarkar University, Brahmavid - The Global School, Pramila Gokuldas Daga College for Girls, Bhilai Institute of Technology, Gracious College and Sanskar school (Jabalpur) to offer @ArtofLiving programs for their students and faculty.
Honorable CM @vishnudsai joined thousands for an evening of celebration and meditation in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
Appealed to the Naxalites of Chhattisgarh to shun violence and join the mainstream. @ArtofLiving will support them in achieving their goal of better social conditions.
Under an MoU, the Chhattisgarh government will collaborate with @ArtofLiving to implement various development projects and create job opportunities for the youth.
@ChhattisgarhCMO@artofliving_sp