Dr Ran Bahadur Singh, former Director, Forensic Science Laboratories, Uttar Pradesh, was born on 1st September, 1940 in the village Fatehpur, District Mau, Uttar Pradesh, India. He was educated at Janata Inter College, Ranipur (High School); Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (I. Sc., B. Sc., M. Sc., Ph. D.); and State University of New York, Buffalo, U.S.A. (Post-Doctoral Research). He was awarded merit scholarship for securing high position in the High School Examination (1956) of Uttar Pradesh Board of Education. Dr Singh was awarded several fellowships for conducting research in India and abroad. He was also awarded SIDA (Swedish International Development Authority) stipend for participating in the International Summer Institute in Quantum Chemistry, Solid State Physics and Quantum Biology at Uppsala University, Sweden, later he was awarded Dr N.K. Iyengar Memorial Gold Medal for his work on trace element characterization of transmission wires by the Indian Academy or Forensic Sciences.
Dr Singh is a skilful experimenter and takes keen interest in experimental studies. He has set up a 10.6-meter concave grating spectrograph in the Banaras Hindu University in the year 1963. It had the highest resolution and dispersion available in the country at that time. This instrument was used by him and many others for the studies of the rotational structure in diatomic spectra. and the k-structure in the spectra of some substituted benzenes. These studies resulted in generating accurate spectroscopic data which have been cited in many reviews and data compilations. He took interest in theoretical work also and worked on the interatomic potential as derived from spectroscopic data of molecules. This work has been quoted in several standard text and reference books, and various other reviews and data compilations. He studied laser produced electrical breakdown in gases and stimulated Raman Effect during his post-doctoral assignment. He made a good start in setting up a Q-switched Ruby Laser in the department of physics, B.H.U. in the year 1969.
He worked as lecturer in Engg. Physics in the Institute of Technology, B.H.U. for a short period before joining Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Intelligence Bureau (Now under Directorate of Forensic Science), Govt. of India, Calcutta, as Assistant Director (Physics) in the year 1970. He joined Forensic Science Laboratory, U. P., Agra on deputation in the year 1983 as Joint Director, and subsequently he was appointed as Director, FSLs, U.P. in the year 1986. Govt. of U.P. retained him giving special scale of pay to protect all his future prospects in the Govt. of India. He is responsible for setting up two fine forensic science laboratories at Agra and Lucknow. The examination of exhibits in each division of both the laboratories began, for the first time, on 1st. April, 1987. Dr Singh led the Indian delegation to the 11th Interpol Forensic Science Symposium held at Lyons, France in the year 1995. He was elected as a member of the Organising Committee of the 12th Interpol Forensic Science Symposium, and the Lucknow laboratory was accepted as co-ordinating laboratory for the evidence types paint and glass for the 12th Interpol Symposium.
In Forensic Physics his field of interest, inter alia, have been spectroscopy, and spectrochemical analyses using various instrumental techniques, Laser applications, and Morphological studies using Scanning Electron Microscope.
Dr Singh has been associated with many scientific institutions, Universities, Public Service Commissions, and Government Departments as member of technical committees, academic courses, and Post-Graduate Diploma, M.Sc., and Ph.D. examinations. He has been honorary lecturer in several forensic science, judicial, and police training institutes. He guided research for Ph.D. and M.Sc. theses and has trained a number of scientists from India and abroad.
He has always been keenly interested in scientific and professional organizations and is associated with many scientific associations. Dr Singh has organized several symposia/seminars and scientific meetings. He has participated in many International, American, European, and Indian scientific conferences, workshops, and training programs.
After his retirement in the year 2000, Dr Singh was active for about twelve years. He served several institutions in this period and participated in professional activities.