Sahib Singh Sokhey
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Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Sir Sahib Singh Sokhey
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, FASc (15 December 1887 – 24 October 1971) was an Indian biochemist, a
British Indian Army The British Indian Army, commonly referred to as the Indian Army, was the main military of the British Raj before its dissolution in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of the British Indian Empire, including the princely states, which co ...
general and a
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who was also a nominated member of the
Rajya Sabha The Rajya Sabha, constitutionally the Council of States, is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. , it has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legislatures of the states and union territories using si ...
, the Upper House of the
Indian Parliament The Parliament of India ( IAST: ) is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the president of India and two houses: the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House of the ...
, from 3 April 1952 to 2 April 1956.


Early life and career

Sahib Singh Sokhey was born in Amritsar, Punjab on 15 December 1887 to Sardar Jwala Singh Sokhey, a civil engineer who worked on various irrigation projects in the Punjab and in Burma, then part of British India. A brilliant student, he completed his initial studies at the Central Medical School and at Government College, Lahore, taking an honours degree in physics and chemistry from the
University of the Punjab The University of the Punjab (Urdu, pnb, ), also referred to as Punjab University, is a public, research, coeducational higher education institution located in Lahore, Pakistan. Punjab University is the oldest public university in Pakistan. ...
in 1905. After a year at the Lahore Medical College (now
King Edward Medical University King Edward Medical University (KEMU) () is a public medical university located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Founded in 1860, the university is named after King Edward VII. Established by the British Raj, named as Lahore Medical School. In 1868 ...
), he went to the
University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...
in 1907. At Edinburgh, he completed his
MBBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery ( la, Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae; abbreviated most commonly MBBS), is the primary medical degree awarded by medical schools in countries that follow the tradition of the United King ...
degree in 1911, followed by an MA in economics in 1912. In 1913, Sokhey sat the Indian Medical Service (IMS) examinations, passing first. He was commissioned a
lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
in the IMS on 26 July 1913. During the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, he served in France on the
Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers *Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...
, and was promoted to
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
on 26 July 1916 (antedated to 1 September 1915). After the war, he served in Mesopotamia until 1921, when he returned to India. He subsequently commanded the Indian Military Hospital at Kolkata for two years.


Medical researcher

In 1923, he was awarded a Rockefeller Fellowship for post-graduate studies abroad. From 1923 to 1925, he studied clinical biochemistry under noted American biochemist Otto Folin at
Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
, subsequently studying in Toronto under Nobel laureate John MacLeod, a co-discoverer of
insulin Insulin (, from Latin ''insula'', 'island') is a peptide hormone produced by beta cells of the pancreatic islets encoded in humans by the ''INS'' gene. It is considered to be the main anabolic hormone of the body. It regulates the metabolism o ...
. He was promoted to
major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
on 26 January 1925, and completed an MD from Edinburgh the same year, also conducting research on nutrition at Trinity College, Cambridge under the distinguished biochemist and future Nobel laureate Frederick Gowland Hopkins. Following his return to India in mid-1925, Major Sokhey was appointed an assistant director at the
Haffkine Institute The Haffkine Institute for Training, Research and Testing is located in Parel in Mumbai (Bombay), India. It was established on 10 August 1899 by Dr. Waldemar Mordecai Haffkine, as a bacteriology research centre called the "Plague Research Labora ...
in Mumbai on 18 August of that year. His earliest research at the Institute involved the biochemistry of coeliac disease, then known as "sprue." In connection with this research, Sokhey conducted clinical studies of the metabolisms of men and women in Mumbai, to compare their metabolisms with those of Europeans. In 1926, he established a Biochemistry Department at the institute, becoming its first Indian director in 1932. He was promoted to
lieutenant-colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
on 26 January 1933. As Director, Colonel Sokhey expanded the scope of the institute, establishing an Entomology Department (1938), a Serum Department (1940) to manufacture vaccines, antitoxins and snake antivenin, a Chemotherapy Department (1940) to conduct research into sulfa and synthetic pharmaceuticals, a Pharmacology Department (1943) and a Nutrition Department (1944). From 1932 through the Second World War, Sokhey primarily focused on expanding the institute's vaccine production and development capacity and improving the quality of its various vaccines and antitoxins. Under Sokhey's supervision, the Institute initiated studies on antibiotic therapies for plague, beginning with
sulfathiazole Sulfathiazole is an organosulfur compound used as a short-acting sulfa drug. Formerly, it was a common oral and topical antimicrobial, until less toxic alternatives were discovered. Sulfathiazole exists in various forms ( polymorphs). The imine ...
in 1939 and continuing with
tetracycline Tetracycline, sold under various brand names, is an oral antibiotic in the tetracyclines family of medications, used to treat a number of infections, including Acne vulgaris, acne, cholera, brucellosis, plague (disease), plague, malaria, and sy ...
s and related antibiotics during and after the Second World War. In 1943, due to wartime needs, the Indian Medical Service was merged with the Indian Medical Department and the Indian Hospital and Nursing Corps, becoming the
Indian Army Medical Corps The Indian Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the Indian Army which primarily provides medical services to all Army personnel, serving and veterans, along with their families. Early history Very little is known of the medical organisatio ...
. Sokhey was promoted to
colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
in the newly reorganised service branch on 15 December 1944 (seniority from 26 January 1936). Towards the end of the war, Sokhey established pilot plants at the institute to manufacture
sulfathiazole Sulfathiazole is an organosulfur compound used as a short-acting sulfa drug. Formerly, it was a common oral and topical antimicrobial, until less toxic alternatives were discovered. Sulfathiazole exists in various forms ( polymorphs). The imine ...
,
paludrine Proguanil, also known as chlorguanide and chloroguanide, is a medication used to treat and prevent malaria. It is often used together with chloroquine or atovaquone. When used with chloroquine the combination will treat mild chloroquine resista ...
, chloroquine and
penicillin Penicillins (P, PCN or PEN) are a group of β-lactam antibiotics originally obtained from ''Penicillium'' moulds, principally '' P. chrysogenum'' and '' P. rubens''. Most penicillins in clinical use are synthesised by P. chrysogenum using ...
. From 1944 to 1946, he served on the Pharmaceutical and Drug Committee of the government Planning Department. He also served on a committee tasked with establishing the
National Chemical Laboratory The National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) is an Indian government laboratory based in Pune, in western India. Popularly known as NCL, a constituent member of the CSIR India, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) India, it was estab ...
and the National Physical Laboratory. In 1946, he was among the key individuals involved in establishing a penicillin manufacturing plant, which later became
Hindustan Antibiotics Hindustan Antibiotics Limited (HAL),is an Indian central public sector undertaking under the ownership of Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India. It is based in Pune, India. It is the first government-owned-drug manufactu ...
. On 14 August 1947, the day before Indian independence, Sokhey was promoted to the local rank of major-general in his role as director of the Haffkine Institute, subsequently retiring from the Indian Army.


World Health Organization and later life

In 1949, General Sokhey retired from the directorship of the Haffkine Institute after a 17-year tenure. During a visit to Bombay,
Brock Chisholm George Brock Chisholm (18 May 1896 – 4 February 1971) was a Canadian psychiatrist, medical practitioner, World War I veteran, and the first director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO). He was the 13th Canadian Surgeon General and t ...
, the Director-General of the
World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of h ...
, met Sokhey; impressed by his achievements, he offered Sokhey the post of Assistant Director General (Technical Services) in the WHO, with the responsibility for epidemiology, health statistics and biological standardisation. Sokhey served in this position in Geneva until 1952, when he completed his term and returned to India. In 1952, he was nominated to the
Rajya Sabha The Rajya Sabha, constitutionally the Council of States, is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. , it has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legislatures of the states and union territories using si ...
, the upper house of Parliament, retiring a few years later. In 1953–54, Sokhey obtained the assistance of Soviet officials to build a large public-sector pharmaceutical plant in India, today known as
Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited (IDPL) is a public sector pharmaceutical, bulk drug manufacturing and drug discovery company owned by the Indian government, headquartered in New Delhi, and located in Hyderabad, Gurgaon and Rishikesh.: ...
(IDPL). In his retirement, Sokhey chaired the All-India Peace Council and the Pharmaceutical and Drugs Committee of the CSIR. In 1962, he became a personal advisor to the Director-General of the CSIR, Syed Hussein Zahir, and was appointed an Emeritus Scientist in 1965. He died at his New Delhi residence on 24 October 1971, aged 83.


Personal life

Sokhey was married to Leila Roy (1899-1947), a famous ''kathak'' dancer known as "
Madame Menaka Madame Menaka (October 15, 1899 – May 30, 1947) was the professional name of Leila Roy, Lady Sokhey, an Indian dancer and choreographer in the Kathak tradition. Early life and education Leila Roy was born in Barisal, Bengal Presidency, the ...
." Lady Sokhey spent much of her career travelling across India and Europe with her dance troupe. Her death in 1947 left Sokhey a lonely widower. The couple had no children, and Sokhey never remarried. Sokhey was a voracious reader, with a good understanding of classical Indian art. A close friend of Prime Minister
Jawaharlal Nehru Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (; ; ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat— * * * * and author who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20t ...
, he was a convinced leftist with a deep admiration for Communism and the Soviet Union.


Honours

Sokhey was a founding Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy (1935), and of the Indian Academy of Sciences. For his achievements as director of the Haffkine Institute, especially in the area of vaccine production and development, Sokhey was knighted in the British
1946 New Year Honours The 1946 New Year Honours were appointments by many of the Commonwealth Realms of King George VI to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries, and to celebrate the passing of 1945 and the beginnin ...
list, and was formally invested with his knighthood by the Viceroy,
Lord Wavell Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell, (5 May 1883 – 24 May 1950) was a senior officer of the British Army. He served in the Second Boer War, the Bazar Valley Campaign and the First World War, during which he was wounded ...
, at Viceroy's House (now
Rashtrapati Bhavan The Rashtrapati Bhavan (, rāsh-truh-puh-ti bha-vun; ; originally Viceroy's House and later Government House) is the official residence of the President of India at the western end of Rajpath, Raisina Hill, New Delhi, India. Rashtrapati Bh ...
) in New Delhi on 9 March 1946. He was awarded the Stalin Prize by the Soviet government in 1947.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sokhey, Sahib Singh Recipients of the Lenin Peace Prize Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha World Health Organization officials Indian biochemists Indian Knights Bachelor Indian Medical Service officers British Indian Army generals 20th-century Indian medical doctors 1887 births 1971 deaths 19th-century Indian biologists 20th-century Indian biologists Scientists from Amritsar Medical doctors from Punjab, India Indian officials of the United Nations Alumni of the University of Edinburgh People from Punjab Province (British India)