1. MAKING OF A NOBEL
LAUREATE:CV RAMAN
Celebrating Centenary of RAMAN’s
First Research Paper
H.S. VIRK
Ex-President, IAPT

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. • 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.

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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

10. 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.

11. 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.