Background
Mitra was born and raised in Calcutta. After his father died, his mother supported him through Presidency College of the University of Calcutta where he earned a Bachelor of Science
Mitra was born and raised in Calcutta. After his father died, his mother supported him through Presidency College of the University of Calcutta where he earned a Bachelor of Science
Mitra was born and raised in Calcutta. His parents were the doctor Saratkumari and the school teacher Jaykrishna. At the age of nine he witnessed a hot air balloon and became intrigued in the phenomenon, so he began studying science.
The family moved to Bhagalpur, where Sisir attended school and the local college.
After his father died, his mother supported him through Presidency College of the University of Calcutta where he earned a Bachelor of Science In 1912 he gained his Master of Science at the same institution.
Mitra briefly became a scholar performing research before becoming a teacher. Eventually he taught at Bankura Christian College. In 1916, Sisir was invited to join the new postgraduate department of physics at the University Science College.
He gained a Doctor of Science degree in 1919.
Then he left for Paris, France to study at the University of Paris. There he earned a second Doctor of Science and would join Marie Curie at her laboratory.
He developed an interest in the new science of radio communication, and went to the University of Nancy to research this field In 1923 he returned to India where he was appointed Khaira Professor of physics, at the University of Calcutta.
There, in addition to teaching, he established a laboratory to investigate wireless.
He also initiated a new department at the University of Calcutta that later became the Institute of Radio Physics and Electronics. In 1955 he retired from the university, becoming emeritus professor He was given charge of the West Bengal Secondary Board, and spent six years organizing this administrative body.
He died following a short illness.
Doctor Mitra proposed that ultraviolet light from the sun created the middle, or East layer, of the ionosphere. He also determined that ions in the ionosphere"s F layer were what caused luminescence of the night sky, giving it a dusty hue rather than pitch black.
In 1947 he published a reference treatise titled "The Upper Atmosphere" on atmospheric research.
Royal Society]
Member of the Order of the British Empire (Administration Member of the Order of the British Empire), 1938.