Thread by @SadaaShree

#CVRaman one of the greatest Indian scientists ever of the modern era. The man behind the Raman effect, only Indian citizen to have won the Nobel in Physics. He was also the first Asian to get the Nobel Prize in Science.
Thread on his Jayanti today.

And it was not just physics, he published around 475 papers on topics ranging from astronomy to metereology to physiology. His work on the mridangam, bought to light the accoustical knowledge possesed in ancient India. #CVRaman

The genius was born on November 7, 1888 in a small village Thiruvanaikaval near Trichy on the banks of the Kaveri. His maternal grandfather Saptarishi Sastri was a renowned Sanskrit scholar, and his parents were R. Chandrasekhara Iyer and Parvathi Ammal. #CVRaman

Raman studied for some time in Vishakapatnam at the St.Aloysius High School , where his father was mathematics lecturer at the AVN College here. In 1903 he joined the prestigious Presidency College in Chennai, where he topped both the BA and MA exams, won the gold medal.

While he was a naturally brilliant student, some books influenced him much more. One was Edwin Arnold’s The Light of Asia on Gautama Buddha, that infuenced him spiritually. Euclid’s Elements kindled his interest in geometry.

And his love for music was due to Hermann von Helmholtz.’s The Sensations of Tone. Inspite of his brilliance in science, he was not encouraged to take up science as a career, and on his father’s insistence took the Financial Civil Services exam. #CVRaman

He stood first and joined as an Assistant Accountant General at Kolkata in 1907, in the Indian Finance Department. However when he chanced on the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science( IACS), he joined it enthusiastically, after meeting the Secretary Amritlal Sircar

IACS was actually set up by his father Mahendralal Sarkar, one of the brighest minds of his time, and only the second one to get an MD from Kolkata University, and started the association for the propagation of science and inculcate a culture of research.

Raman often referred to his period at IACS as the golden phase of his career. Working with very limited equipment and that too in his spare time, he managed to get his research findings published in journals like Nature, Physics Review. #CVRaman

He did his research primarily on accoustics, studying many musical instruments like tabla, mridangam, violin. He published a monograph on the violin titled “On the Mechanical Theory of Vibrations of Musical Instruments of the Violin Family”. #CVRaman

In 1917, he was invited by Ashutosh Mukherjee, then VC of Kolkata University, to join as a Palit Professor of Physics in the newly established Science College. Raman happily accepted the offer, even though it was less than what he was getting in the Government service. #CVRaman

The Raman Spectroscopy based on the Raman Effect, is a technique used to observe vibrational, rotational modes in a system. This actually happened during a voyage to Europe in 1921, when he noticed the very blue color of Mediterranean Sea. #RamanEffect

He carried out experiments regarding scattering of light, using monochromatic light from a mercury arc lamp. He detected lines in the spectrum, and presented his theory to other scientists.

He in fact was confident of winning the Nobel for Physics in 1928 itself for his work on spectroscopy. And was quite disappointed when he found out that he had been bypassed. #CVRaman

He would however win the Nobel for Physics later in 1930, for his work on Scattering of Light, becoming first Asian scientist to do so. Apart from his discovery of scattering of light, he, did notable work in other areas too. #CVRaman

There was this popular anecdote on him, when he went to receive the Nobel Prize in Stockholm, he saw that he was under the Union Jack,and his country did not even have a flag of it's own, which made him break down. #CVRaman

Along with Suri Bhagavantam, Raman discovered Quantum Photo Spin in 1932, later worked on accoustics of musical instruments. He was one of the first to investigate harmonic nature of the sound in the tabla and mridangam.

He worked out the theory of transverse vibration of bowed strings, and also investigated the propagation of sound in whispering galleries. Along with his student Nagendra Nath, C.V.Raman provided the explanation for accousto-optic effect,resulted in Raman-Nath theory.

He also continued his research work at the IACS laboratories, and he later became it’s Hon Secretary in 1919. However in 1933, he left for Bangalore to become the first Indian director of IISc, as well as the head of it’s Physics Department.

Raman established a new physics department at IISc, a central workshop for fabricating precision instruments and he also set up beautiful flower gardens in the campus. One of his students would be G.N.Ramachandran, who would later do pioneering work on peptide structure.

He carried out studies on diffraction of light by ultrasonic waves and effects of X-Rays on infrared vibrations in crystals.
Appointed as India’s first national professor, he did indepth studies on the structure and properties of diamonds.

However accusations against him of favoring the Physics Department at IISc over others, made him step down from the Director’s post, though he continued as Head of Physics department till 1948 when he retired.

You know, I was to retire at 60. So two years before my retirement I started building this institute so that on the day I retired I took my bag and walked right into this institute. I can not remain idle for a single day- #CVRaman

After retirement he worked on establishing the Raman Research Institute in Bangalore, investing all his life’s savings including the Nobel Prize winning amount. The land was gifted by the Mysore Maharaja.

Short of funds, he started a company called Travancore Chemicals and Manufacturing that manufactured Potassium Chlorate for the matchstick industry. With 4 factories and a good dividend, he managed to earn enough to support his Institute financially. #CVRaman

He also founded the Indian Academy of Sciences Bangalore, in 1934, to discuss on scientific research and symposia on subjects.

In the past, India had shown her greatness in the fields of scholarship, philosophy and science but today, we are helplessly dependent on Western countries for knowledge of science. India should not be a camp-follower but a leader in science. #CVRaman

While Raman believed that Science was the solution to most of India’s problems, he felt that India should not be dependent on others for ideas. He encouraged the Indian youth not to lose spirit and courage, a spirit of victory that would give us our rightful place.

I can assert without fear of contradiction that the quality of the Indian mind is equal to the quality of any Teutonic, Nordic or Anglo-saxon mind. What we lack is perhaps courage, what we lack is perhaps driving force which takes one anywhere. #CVRaman

We have, I think, developed an inferiority complex. I think what is needed in India today is the destruction of that defeatist spirit. We need a spirit of victory, a spirit that would carry us to our rightful place under the sun. #CVRaman

A spirit which will recognize that we, as inheritors of a proud civilization, are entitled to a rightful place on this planet. If that indomitable spirit were to arise, nothing can hold us from achieving our rightful destiny. #CVRaman

He had a very holistic view of science, and felt nature had the best answers for it. He was also an ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhi, instituted the Gandhi Memorial Lecture in the Raman Research Institute.

On November 21, 1970 he passed away at the age of 82. But not before leaving a rich legacy. The Physics Department at University of Kolkata and IISC were both the products of his hard work and dedication.#CVRaman

Let us try to make our universities the best–we should not be satisfied with anything less than the best. What will be the result? Instead of a great many of our young men going out of the country, they will remain here and strive to advance our reputation #CVRaman

These words by #CVRaman are relevant even today, in fact much more than ever.

On his Jayanti today , my tribute to one of the greatest Indians of modern era , Chandrashekhar Venkata Raman. And his message is as relevant. Thanks for following this long thread of mine.
#CVRaman

His home Panchavati in Bangalore's Malleswaram area,where he spent most of his life, being maintained by the RRI Trust. Fortunately has escaped the city's notorious real estate mafia so far. #CVRaman

My article on C.V.Raman on his Jayanti today, do check out and share. #CVRaman
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