 The Government of India awarded him the civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan in 1973.Born in Hyderabad (erstwhile Hyderabad State, present day Telangana) in a Bengali Hindu Kulin Brahmin family to Aghornath Chattopadhyaya, first Indian D.Sc, a scientist-philosopher and educationist, and Barada Sundari Devi, a poet and singer, she is famous for poems such as "Noon" and "Shaper Shaped".His father was a Doctorate of Science from the University of Edinburgh, settled in Hyderabad State, where he founded and administered the Hyderabad College, which later became the Nizam's College in Hyderabad.