Arunachala Sreenivasan was born on 13th July, 1909 in village Pamini of Tanjore district, Tamil Nadu.
His father, D Arunachala Sastrigal was a Vedanta scholar while mother Krishnammal was a housewife. He was the youngest of five brothers and had a younger sister.
Arunachala Sreenivasan graduated from Madras University in 1930 and obtained M.A. in Chemistry in 1934. He became Doctor of Science (Chemistry) in 1936. He did research in Food Technology and was a specialist in Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Technology.
Arunachala Sreenivasan worked as: research biochemist of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (1931 -1938). He was an agricultural Chemist of the Indian Central Cotton Committee at the Institute of Plant Industry, Indore (1938-1943), lecturer in foods and drugs, later reader and professor of food technology Mumbai University, Department of Chemical Technology (1943-1959), deputy director, Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore (1959- 964), head of the biochemistry & food technology division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai (1964-1971). Also was an emeritus scientist, BARC and adviser af the department of Atomic Energy, Mumbai (1972-1973), director af the Cancer Research Institute, Mumbai, (1974-1975).
He guided over fifty research students for doctoral and masters' degrees besides training some 150 post B.Sc. Food Technology graduates. Several of these scientists and technologists are/were holding responsible and important positions in Industry, Government, Universities and other research establishments.
Arunachala Sreenivasan also published over 200 papers in various national and international journals.
He contributed to an understanding of basic metabolic events and regulatory mechanisms as influenced by (a) nutritional, (b) hormonal, and (c) radiation effects; tissue differentiation and de-differentiation processes; development and evaluation of (i) protein rich food formulations for combating protein-calorie malnutrition, and (ii) other food processing technologies; food preservation by gamma radiation.
While basic research had always been his first preference, Professor Sreenivasan strongly felt that research must lead to appropriate developments in technology that ultimately benefit the masses. Arunachala Sreenivasan was also a firm believer in indigenous technology.
Quotations: "Notwithstanding all the resources built and the achievements accomplished I am not sure if I can speak with authority and say that these have made an impact on the community. Take for example, the very many specific projects of the Institute for an enriched protein food derivable from local raw materials that could meet a national nutritional need. So far much of the effort has contributed to a kind of indigenous research experience with very little impact into industrial growth or nutritional improvement of the masses. Such obstacles to progress in the adoption of processes with potential economic importance only serve to remind one of the general malaise in the country for seeking imported packages of technology that could be purchased off the shelf even if they are obsolete, overpriced or inappropriate. I am glad that things have improved somewhat lately with correspondingly greater reliance on indigenous capability."
One of his brothers Padmabhushan M Ganapati, an officer of the Indian Engineering Service held the positions of Chairman and Managing Director of Rourkela and Bokaro steel plants. His sister's husband, S Swayambu retired as Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Heavy Electricals.
Arunachala Sreenivasan married Sundarammal, daughter of Venkataraman of Kuttalam in Tanjore district, Tamilnadu on 12th July, 1937. The Sreenivasans had three children, two daughters and a son.
The elder daughter Mrs Indumati Sampathkumar is an MA in economics and is married to an engineer. They reside in Berlin, Germany.
The younger daughter Sumati was smart, beautiful and highly accomplished. Unfortunately she died in a tragic accident at the prime of her youth. Dr Sreenivasan bore this loss with equanimity characteristic of the person totally devoted to a mission in life.
Mr Shivakumar Sreenivasan is a mechanical engineer. Shivakumar is married to an artist. He worked for sometime in Germany and currently runs a small-scale industry in Bangalore.
