A Priceless Treasure In AMU: Nobel Prize Of Scientist Abdus Salam Who Pakistan Failed To Honour

Aligarh: AMU proudly preserves the Nobel Prize of Pakistani physicist Abdus Salam, who was marginalised in his own country due to his Ahmadiyya faith.

Pakistan physicist Professor Abdus Salam's Nobel Prize is kept at Maulana Azad Library in AMU.

Source : Special arrangement

Nestled in the historic Maulana Azad Library of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) lies a treasure that transcends scientific achievement and borders, standing as a symbol of universal recognition and excellence. It is the Nobel Prize of Professor Abdus Salam, Pakistan's first Nobel laureate, a figure whose extraordinary contributions to science are preserved in the heart of India, celebrated by AMU as a beacon of intellectual and academic glory. Sadly, the Nobel laureate did not get the honour he deserved in his own country.

Who Was Professor Abdus Salam?

Professor Abdus Salam (1926–1996) was a visionary physicist, a pioneer in theoretical particle physics, and a tireless advocate for the advancement of science in developing countries. Born in Jhang, which became part of Pakistan after Partition, into a family devoted to education and learning, Salam’s exceptional intellect earned him accolades from an early age, including record-breaking academic achievements and scholarships to prestigious institutions such as Government College, Lahore, and St. John’s College, Cambridge.

His groundbreaking work in quantum electrodynamics and the Electroweak Theory won him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1979, cementing his place among the world's most brilliant scientists.

Salam dedicated his life to fostering global scientific collaboration, founding the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, Italy, and creating programmes to empower young physicists from underprivileged regions. 

A Tale Of Honour In AMU But Disgrace In Pakistan

Professor Abdus Salam's journey is a narrative of brilliance marred by adversity. His pioneering work on the Electroweak Theory revolutionised the understanding of fundamental forces in nature. The Nobel Prize placed him among the world’s most distinguished scientists and brought immense pride to Pakistan. However, his identity as a member of the Ahmadiyya community led to his ostracism in his own country. 

Declared non-Muslim by law, Professor Salam faced social and political marginalisation in Pakistan, ultimately compelling him to leave his homeland. His scientific triumphs, once a source of national pride, were buried under prejudice and intolerance.

Yet, while his own country failed him, Aligarh Muslim University stepped in to celebrate his genius.

In 1979, AMU bestowed upon Professor Salam a lifetime union membership and an honorary doctorate, acknowledging his unparalleled contributions to physics. As a gesture of gratitude and respect, Professor Salam donated his Nobel Prize to AMU, entrusting the university to safeguard this symbol of scientific excellence.

Today, his award occupies a place of honour in the Maulana Azad Library, a treasure that elevates AMU's standing on the global stage and reinforces its commitment to fostering scientific inquiry.

The Maulana Azad Library in AMU that houses Prof Abdus Salam's Nobel Prize.

Maulana Azad Library: Preserving A Legacy

The Maulana Azad Library, already renowned for its vast collection and international acclaim, is like a pilgrimage site for scholars, researchers, and enthusiasts of science and history. Housing Professor Salam’s Nobel Prize, the library reflects AMU’s dedication to preserving intellectual heritage, recognising talent transcending divisions of religion, nationality, and politics.

Recalling how the university honoured Professor Salam during a time of internal challenges, including student movements and political turbulence, Professor Rahat Abrar, former public relations officer of AMU, said AMU's gesture of respect emphasised its unwavering focus on academic excellence and its ability to recognise true merit, even amid adversity.

Professor Abdus Salam’s association with AMU is part of a broader tradition of the university hosting global icons. Nobel laureates and distinguished figures, including the Dalai Lama, have graced AMU’s platforms, contributing to its legacy as a hub of intellectual exchange and cultural harmony.

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How Pakistan Lost Its Greatest Scientist Ever

Professor Salam’s story is one of triumph over adversity.

Born in 1926 in Jhang, a modest town in present-day Pakistan, Abdus Salam grew up in a family steeped in piety and learning. His father, an education official in a poor farming district, instilled in him a love for knowledge that would define his life. According to the Nobel Prize website, Salam’s prodigious talent was evident early — at just 14, he achieved the highest marks ever recorded in the Matriculation Examination at the University of the Punjab. 

He earned a scholarship to Government College, Lahore, where he completed his MA in 1946. That same year, he received another scholarship to St. John’s College, Cambridge. There, Salam earned a BA (Honours) with a double First in mathematics and physics in 1949. A year later, he won the prestigious Smith’s Prize for his groundbreaking pre-doctoral work in physics. By 1951, Salam had completed his PhD at Cambridge, producing fundamental contributions to quantum electrodynamics that earned him international acclaim.

Salam returned to Pakistan in 1951 with a vision to establish a research culture in theoretical physics. However, systemic limitations and lack of infrastructure forced him to abandon this dream. In 1954, he moved to Cambridge for a lectureship, though his commitment to Pakistan never wavered. He served in key roles such as Chief Scientific Adviser to the President, a member of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, and a significant force behind Pakistan’s science policy during the 1960s and early 1970s.

Pakistan, however, could not treasure its greatest scientist.

Abdus Salam left Pakistan in 1974, in protest after the country's parliament unanimously passed a bill declaring members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, to which he belonged, non-Muslim.

"Dr Salam is a great hero and possibly the most famous Pakistani in the world but he became victim of the narrow-mindedness of our society,” Hassan Amir Shah, head of the physics department at Government College, Lahore, was quoted as saying in a 2012 AFP report from Pakistan.

Even in 2012, when the world was celebrating discovery of the "God particle", a milestone hailed as one of the greatest scientific achievements in the last of the last century, Pakistan remained silent. Salam was a trailblazer whose groundbreaking work laid the foundation for the discovery, which also had contributions from Indian physicist Satyendra Nath Bose.

Pakistan showed little inclination to honour Salam, who remains a heretic in his country. His achievements remain unacknowledged by the very nation he sought to uplift, the AFP report noted.

Abdus Salam, however, was known to be a devout Muslim, the Nobel Prize website says on his profile page. He saw no divide between his faith and his science. "The Holy Quran enjoins us to reflect on the verities of Allah’s created laws of nature; however, that our generation has been privileged to glimpse a part of His design is a bounty and a grace for which I render thanks with a humble heart,” Salam wrote once. 

Despite facing religious discrimination in his homeland, Salam dedicated his life to fostering global scientific collaboration, founding the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, Italy, dedicated to supporting young scientists, particularly from developing countries. At ICTP, he created the famous "Associateships", enabling promising physicists from resource-constrained nations to collaborate with leading researchers and reinvigorate their work upon returning home. He used his Nobel Prize funds and other awards to support young scientists.

For over four decades, Salam’s pioneering work in theoretical physics transformed the field of elementary particles. As a professor at Imperial College, London, and the director of ICTP, he maintained an unyielding commitment to research, international collaboration, and the scientific upliftment of the developing world.

While Pakistan lost him, Salam and his legacy received the honour they deserved in AMU and India. His Nobel Prize preserved in the AMU library will remain a source of inspiration for generations to come.