Homi Jehangir Bhabha was born on October 30, 1909 in Bombay. He was educated at the Cathedral and John Conon High School, Elphinstone College and the Institute of Science, Bombay. He then joined Cornville and Caius College, Cambridge and obtained his B.A. Degree in Mechanical Sciences, Tripos in 1930.

In 1934 he was selected to an Isaac Newton Studentship. A mathematical physicist, he lectured at Cambridge from 1935 to 1939. In 1940, through a special grant from the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust he was appointed Reader at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and two years later became a Professor of Cosmic Ray Research.

As Bhabha contemplated at Bangalore on issues concerning the development of the country, the inadequacy of scientific facilities in India came sharply into focus. On August 19, 1943 he wrote to J.R.D. Tata that "lack of proper conditions and intelligent financial support hamper the development of science in India at the pace which the talent in the country would warrant." He mentioned that he himself had an idea of accepting at the end of the War a job at Cambridge or Princeton but had come to the view that, provided proper facilities are available, "it is one's duty to stay in one's own country" and build schools comparable with those in other lands.  J.R.D. Tata replied: "if you and/or some of your colleagues in the scientific world will put up concrete proposals backed by a sound case, I think there is a very good chance that the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust will respond."

The Sir Dorabji Tata Trust provided the money for the establishment of a Cosmic Ray Unit at the Indian Institute of Science. Dr. Bhabha felt that fundamental research in physics and mathematics, including nuclear physics and cosmic rays, was too big a subject to be dealt with in a small department of a university or in a general purpose research institute. It needed an institution devoted primarily, if not solely, to this end. His conviction reinforced by the encouragement of J.R.D. Tata., Dr. Bhabha wrote to Sir Sorab Saklatvala, Chairman of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust describing his vision for the India of the future.

Dr. Homi Bhabha conceived of an institute devoted to basic science, one that would provide the atmosphere for fundamental research to flourish while contributing to the nascent project of nation building. He wanted to set up an Institute for long-term basic research in science and mathematics and for training young people of the highest intellectual calibre so that he could build up research schools comparable to the best in the world.

The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research was founded through the initiative of Dr. Bhabha and he was Director and Professor of Theoretical Physics of the Institute in 1945. He was Chairman of the Indian Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Atomic Energy from 1954 and Director of the Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay.

In 1955, Dr. Bhabha was the President of the First International Conference on the peaceful uses of Atomic Energy organised by the United Nations at Geneva. He was also President of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics.

He was a Member of the Scientific Advisory committee of both the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency. He was also Chairman of the Scientific Advisory committee to the Cabinet, Government of India.

Dr. Bhabha was a born artist even though his primary pre-occupation with Science did not leave him sufficient time perhaps to develop his potential capacity.