The remarkable accomplishment of a distinguished Indian American scientist has made headlines worldwide for all NRIs. At the University of Minnesota, Akhouri Sinha teaches in the Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development. In appreciation of his far-reaching biological research expedition, the United States named a mountain in Antarctica after him.
In 1971–1972, Akhouri Sinha mined vital data about animal populations while working as a passionate explorer in Antarctica. He was a part of the group that studied birds, seals, and whales in the Amundsen and Bellingshausen seas. Acknowledging his work, the US Geological Survey, in collaboration with the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names, named a mountain, Mt Sinha.
Mr. Sinha is from the village of Churamanpur, which is located in the Indian state of Bihar's Buxar district. He completed a master's program in zoology at the University of Patna after earning a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Allahabad.
A man of letters with a grounded demeanour, Akhouri Sinha makes an annual visit to his hometown village in February, when Minnesota experiences bitter cold during the winter months. He has ancestors who were involved in India's pre-colonial history. After Nadir Shah's invasion of Delhi in 1739, his family moved from Delhi to Bihar.
His four-month research expedition's survey of Antarctica's animal populations has turned out to be a valuable indicator of the unpredictable climate change that exists today. His research on the kinds and habits of Antarctic animals has been beneficial to efforts aimed at population conservation. He is in favour of the United States and India working together on a multifaceted research expedition in Antarctica.
