Cv raman

MAKING OF A NOBEL LAUREATE:CV RAMAN

Celebrating Centenary of RAMAN’s

First Research Paper

H.S. VIRK

Ex-President, IAPT

A NEW SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR THE YOUNG

• C.V. Raman published his first research paper “UNSYMMETRICAL DIFFRACTION-BANDS DUE TO A RECTANGULAR APERTURE", while he was a B.Sc. Student in Presidency College, Madras in Philosophical Magazine (Vol. 12, No. 71, pp. 494 – 498, Nov. 1906) and started his journey to Nobel Laureate-hood. This achievement by C.V. Raman can inspire many present day students of similar age to be creative and start on a career of research scientist. We should declare Nov., 2006 to Oct., 2007 as the CENTENARY YEAR OF C.V. RAMAN’S FIRST RESEARCH AS A STUDENT.

Prof. Ved Ratna, Vice-President, IAPT

Indian Predicament

• India is facing a national problem today. The number of students opting for excellent research and teaching in pure science has gone down drastically, hence the nation can not advance technologically. Both teachers and the Government agencies have to play their role to attract science students to opt for pure sciences. There need to be a paradigm shift in teaching of science, so that a talented young person feels attracted towards it. The suggestion for observing “Centenary Year of CV Raman’s First Research as a Student” is aimed towards this objective.

MOTIVATION PROGRAMMES

• Motivation programs may be organised for talented students. They may interact with eminent scientists, visit S & T institutions, do experimental work in a leading research laboratory, design an innovative experiment, etc. Talented students for such a program may be top scorers in Boards' examinations or participants in Science Olympiads. Prof. Yash Pal once opined that our students are taught many things of which few are understood by them and yet, without understanding they can pass the examination.

• Programs like Children’s Science Congress, science exhibitions, experiment based science quiz, etc. are very good in themselves. These make children interested in science and technology, provide them opportunity to see good experiments, work by hands, etc. Do these attract children to pure science? Do these inspire children to innovate experiments and try to discover new knowledge, as C.V Raman did as a student? Do these inspire children to take up research and teaching in pure science as a career? Do these help identify children who have some inclination to be a researcher? Impact of these activities needs to be studied.

Some Facts about CV RAMAN

• Date of Birth: November 7, 1888• Matriculation: March, 1900 (Age of 11 yrs.)• B.A First Rank: 1904 (Gold Medal)• First Research Paper: 1906 • M.A; IRS Examination: 1907 (First Rank in both)• British Govt. Service as AAG: 1907-1917• Palit Professor, Calcutta University: July,1917• Discovery of Raman Effect: Feb.28,1928• Nobel prize for Physics: Oct. 1930

Daily Routine of CV RAMAN

• Lokasundri, wife of Raman, tells about his clock-like daily routine in Calcutta:

• 5.30-9.30 AM: Research work at IACS Lab

• 10.0-5.00 PM: Regular Job in Govt. Deptt.

• 5.30-9.30 PM: Research work in IACS Lab

Raman set up a research laboratory at his home when posted outside Calcutta, in Nagpur and Rangoon.

Important Contributions of RAMAN

• Blue Colour of the Sea Water (1921)• Discovery of RAMAN Effect (1928)• Raman-Nath Theory (1934-1936)• Studies on Brillouin Scattering (1933-40)• Discovery of the Soft Mode (1938-40)• Other contributions: Optical & Magnetic

anisotropy, Acoustics & Indian Classical Music, Crystal Dynamics, Physiology of Colour and Vision.

Publications of CV RAMAN

• Molecular Diffraction of Light

• Mechanical Theory of Bowed Strings and Diffraction of X-rays

• Theory of Musical Instruments

• Physics of Crystals

• The New Physics

• More than 500 Original Research Papers

Quotable quotes of RAMAN

• Good science was not created merely by spending money, starting laboratories and passing orders. More important was the human element, and if quantity replaces quality then disaster would surely follow.

• Government control not only inhibits creativity, but more disastrously, it encourages sloth and intrigue, besides rewarding non-performance.

• Raman was one of the first to raise his voice against the bureaucratic approach in the post-independence era but bureaucracy has survived, thrived and grown to even more ominous proportions. And there is no body left now to raise a word of public interest.

Frustrations of CV Raman’s Life

• Raman lost his Nobel Prize money in an overseas investment company.

• Raman was frustrated in his efforts to upgrade IISc and its Physics department.

• On the contrary, he was charged with embezzlement of funds and removed from directorship of IISc in April, 1938.

• Raman was charged to be antagonistic to applied science and inviting German Scientists (Max Born) to IISc, Bangalore.