TEHRAN- A special monument is planned to be constructed in memory of the renowned Iranian nuclear physicist Professor Mahmoud Hessabi (1903 -1992) in his hometown Tafresh, central Markazi province.

A memorial monument for the late professor will be constructed adjacent to his tomb with a budget of 10 billion rials ($238,000 at the official rate of 42,000 rials), the provincial tourism chief announced on Saturday, CHTN reported.

With the completion of the project, the monument could be promoted as one of the region’s tourist attractions, he noted.

Professor Mahmoud Hessabi, one of the most popular Iranian scientists, was a polymath, with five bachelor’s degrees in literature, civil engineering, mathematics, electrical engineering, and mining engineering. He also held a Ph.D. in physics. He was well acquainted with traditional Iranian music as well as classical Western music and played piano and violin skillfully.

He was a senator and the Minister of Education from 1951 to 1952. He was also the founder of the Physics Faculty at Tehran University. 

On a trip to Princeton in 1947, he had the opportunity to meet Albert Einstein, discussing his scientific activities with him. He is considered the sole Iranian student of Einstein. During his years of scientific research, he had meetings and discussions with other well-known scientists as well, such as Erwin Schrodinger, Max Born, Enrico Fermi, Paul Dirac, and Neils Bohr, and scholars such as Russell and Andre Gide.

ABU/AFM/MG