DR. C. V. RAMAN

The first Asian scientist to win the Nobel Prize was Dr. C V Raman.

Dr. Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman was born on 7tg November 1888 at Thiruchirapally. His father was a teacher a scholar in physics and mathematics. Raman was considered a genius since early childhood. He completed his matriculation at the age of 12 years. He passed B A Winning a gold medal. He had a boundless curiosity to learn new things, a love for science and enthusiasm for work. He topped M A as well as Indian audit and accounts service examination from Madras University.

In 1907 he got married to Lokasundari Ammal. At the age of 19 he already was on a high government post. Then he was promoted to Calcutta as assistant accountant general. In Culcutta he began research work at the Indian association for the cultivation of science. In 1915 he left the highly paid government job to teach as a professor in science college of Calcutta. He became Palit Professor at the age of 29.

Dr. Raman’s college laboratories became active research centres as many students came him for post graduation studies. He was so dedicated to his work that he often forgot to eat or sleep.

In 1921 he attended the Congress of the universities of the British Empire in London. While traveling by sea, the scientist in him was fascinated by the deep blue colour of the Mediterranean Sea. He made research on the scattering of the sunrays by the water molecules. His work was well appreciated. He was invited to many scientific seminars and conferences all over the world.

In February 1928 he discovered that the monochromatic light on scattering does not remain monochromatic. This discovery of nature’s hidden phenomenon, ‘The Raman Effect’, earned him many honours including British government’s Knighthood as well as the Nobel Prize in 1930.

In 1933 he was appointed the director of Indian Institute of science. He established Indian academy of science in 1934 and also the Raman research institute, which is based on our ancient scientific research. In 1954 he was honoured with Bharat Ratna.

This grand old man of Indian science passed away on 21^st November 1970.