Raman was born on November 7, 1888 at Trichinopoly (or Trichy ), a town on the banks of river Cauvery in Tamilnadu, South India. Raman’s ancestors were basically agriculturists having their own land near the villages of Porasakudi and Mangudi in Tanjore district. His father Chandrasekharan Iyer obtained B.A. degree in Physics in 1891 and became a lecturer at S.P.G. College, Trichinopoly. Iyer, a scholar in Physics and Mathematics was also a music lover. Raman, the genius Chita of Iyer and Parvathi Ammal was the second amongst the eight children--five brothers and three sisters. In spite of limited salary his father – Chandrasekharan Iyer had a good collection of books on subjects like physics, mathematics and philosophy. It was because of this environment that he inherited deep interest in science and philosophy.
Raman matriculated at the age of 11, passing F. A. (or intermediate) at the age of 13 and B. A. in 1904 from Presidency College, Madras. He bagged gold medals in Physics and English at this examination. He passed his M. A. examination at 18 in 1907. When he was in B. A., Prof. Eliot of Presidency College, Madras saw this little lad and surprisingly asked Raman whether he belonged to the B. A. class, the boy answered "Yes, Sir."
"Your Name !"
" C. V. Raman."
After a brief association with Raman, the professor found him exceptionally intelligent. Raman was exempted from attending all the science classes because he was proficient in science. His teachers found him not only to be the best student, but also a young man possessing presence of mind, strong-intellectual grasp and strength of character.
At 16, when he was measuring the angle of prism with the help of Spectrometer, he observed some diffraction bands. This observation fired his imagination like Newton, when he saw an apple falling. He investigated this phenomenon and first published its result in the Philosophical Magazine (London) in 1906. He further gave the note on the new experimental method for measuring the surface tension. It was indeed a spectacular achievement for a person of his age and maturity.
He selected Physics at his master’s degree (M.A.). He loved science and was very curious to learn new things, being naturally gifted with the power of concentration and intelligence.
Immediately after his first publication, he was to go abroad, but poor health did not permit him to undertake the trip. Once at the meeting of the Indian Academy of Sciences at Ahmedabad in 1968, Raman humorously pointed out that he was thankful to a British Civil Surgeon at Madras who on medical grounds advised against going to England. He could thus remain in India, to develop his interest and flower his genius. This also shows his great love motherland.
He was extremely keen to carry out original research in Physics, but his parents strongly desired him to approach the Civil Services, then considered to be an elite profession. On their persuasion, he appeared at the competitive examination for the Indian Audit and Accounts Service. For that purpose he had to learn two additional subjects – economics and history. He prepared himself for these subjects in two months’ period and stood first. Immediately, he was appointed as Deputy Accountant General at Calcutta. Within a decade, he drew the attention of many including seniors and was admired too, for putting up brilliant services. During his Government service, he started and carried out research in Physics in Calcutta during his spare time. He was transferred to Rangoon and Nagpur for short spells, where there was hardly anything connected to science, whereas Calcutta offered him ample opportunities for research that no other city in India could have provided him, at that time..
He was romantically associated with the city of Calcutta. Here, he gave full expression to his scientific creativity and scaled new heights. Calcutta at that time, was a distinct and premier city for science, in the East. It was Dr. Mahendra Lal Sircar M.D., a physician who shaped the city for science and research. He realized the importance of research work in scientific education and proposed to form an Indian Association for Cultivation of Science (I.A.C.S.). By his unflinching efforts, he could manage some funds for I.A.C.S. The then Lieutenant Governor of Bengal, Sir Richard Temple made available, the premises at 210 Bow Bazaar Street in 1876. Because of paucity of funds, no regular appointment in I.A.C.S. could be done, but this Association regularly arranged popular science lectures. Dr. Sircar himself, Sir J.C.Bose, Sir Asutosh Mukherjee, Father Lafont, Dr. Tara Prasanna Ray and many others delivered honorary lectures.
After the death of Dr. Mahendra Lal Sircar in 1904, his son Dr. Amritlal Sircar was elected honorary secretary of the Association, and Raman was elected member of the Association. He conducted experiments at I.A.C.S. in his spare time. He vigorously worked on research in acoustics of Indian musical instruments and optics, etc. He had found here that Sircar believed in total freedom from Government control, a view which Raman too subscribed.
Raman married Lokasundari Ammal on May 6, 1907. Lokasundari served as a devoted wife; not only as a better half of Raman but extended warm hospitality to all those associated with Raman. She contributed a lot in Raman's progress thereafter. Lokasundari gave his daily routine as this : "At 5:30 a.m. Raman goes to the Association. Returns at 9:45 a.m., takes bath, gulps his food in haste, leaves for office invariably by taxi so that he may not be late. At 5 p.m. Raman from office directly goes to the Association. Reaches home at 9:30 p.m. On every Sunday, he spends his whole day at Association." Truly Raman was like a candle burning at both the ends.
His residence was very close to 210, Bow Bazaar Street, the premises of I.A.C.S. So Raman could easily go to the laboratory at any odd hour. With such a tight schedule, he published interesting results in the bulletins of I.A.C.S. and also in the foreign scientific journals. Raman could access all facilities that I.A.C.S. had. Thus by joint efforts of Raman and other stalwarts, I.A.C.S. quickly earned reputation as a center for excellence for advanced research in Physics. Many young teachers and professors of Calcutta took advantage of Raman's presence at I.A.C.S. and its modern scientific facilities.
Under the auspices of I.A.C.S, Raman started his indepth scientific research. This was a transitory phase as the old was giving to new theories in Physics. Theory of Relativity and old quantum theory appeared at the horizon during that time. New era of physics dawned as the 20th century began. However, pragmatic physicists still pursued the old theories.
Amritlal Sircar, after the departure of Mahendra Lal Sircar, was bit broken down. He welcomed Raman to I.A.C.S. and became happy because he got a man he was looking for, in him. Raman was given full freedom at I.A.C.S, in pursuit of his scientific studies.
Raman’s research work was interrupted for the time being when he was posted at Rangoon and Nagpur but maintained his contactwith science and worked at home because his experiments required "Shoe-string and sealing wax" in the normal sense. But his outstation stay was fortunately cut short. Raman carried out research work for about 10 years at Calcutta. Sometimes Ashu Babu, the laboratory attendant and Raman's man-friday for about a quarter century, assisted in performing some experiments.
Raman strongly believed in the immediate publishing of experimental results. He churned out steady a flow of research publications. The first ever paper published by the Association was credited to Raman. He was also a great source of inspiration to other researchers. Even Ashu Babu, a laboratory assistant at the Association, encouraged by Raman, authored a research paper that appeared in the prestigious Proceedings of the Royal Society. This was a unique achievement because Ashu Babu never attended college. This was how Raman inspired persons who were keen in doing something great.
Raman generated lot of interest from the outer world, for I.A.C.S., which had a happy consequence. The Association gained stature and the world began taking its note. New research work in chemistry and biology began as a result. Secondly, I.A.C.S started its own bulletin with Raman as its major contributor. He already was a rich and versatile orator with great humor. He kept the audience spell-bound with his booming voice, extraordinary diction, and lively demonstrations.
Sir Asutosh Mukerjee was appointed as the vice–chancellor of Calcutta University. He immediately seized the opportunity to tone up the science education and research at the university. Mukerjee wanted Raman as a Palit professor in Physics at the university, but had doubts of his joining the university. The reason being Raman being well-paid in his Government job along with the honorable position there.
Raman was finally invited as the Palit professor of Physics. To everyone's surprise, Raman left his Government job that paid him Rs. 1,100 per month and joined the less lucrative post of Palit professor fetching a salary of only Rs. 600 per month. Sir Ashutosh was much pleased and touched. This incident raised his hopes of strengthening the Temple of Knowledge, the Calcutta University.
In spite of Raman’s willingness to chair the Palit Professorship, he was unable to fulfill one condition to take the position there and it was that the occupant must have taken training in England. Raman conveyed the information but the authorities gracefully waived the condition in 1917. Thus, Raman entered the hallowed academic world. While paying tribute to Ashutosh Mukerjee, Rajaji said that but for him Raman would have retired as a fearless, faultless and efficient Auditor General.
Raman was exempted from teaching as he was suppose to strengthen the foundation of research in Physics. But Raman did both research and teaching. He took lectures for two to three hours non-stop, demonstrating such love for teaching. Students were immensely interested in his lectures. Immediately after his lecture was over, students would ask for the original research papers on the subject.
After Amritlal Sircar's death in 1919, Raman was elected as the honorary secretary. It was his responsibility to prepare and present the annual report of Association to the management committee. He did it excellently in two parts – scientific and administrative. He always gave a detailed coverage on the library in his report. This emphasized the role of library in education and research. Raman guided the students for doctoral degree, but he did not acquire it even for posterity. Eventually, the Calcutta University in 1921 conferred on him a doctorate honoris causa.
In 1921, Raman went abroad as a delegate to the Universities Congress at Oxford. There he happened to meet the famous physicist J.J. Thomson, (Sr.) Bragg and Ernest Rutherford. While returning to India, the voyage made Raman deeply interested in the color of the sea. This led him to the serious study of scattering of light, which resulted eventually in the discovery of the Raman effect. The same is discussed in details, in the research section.
In 1924, he was elected fellow of the Royal Society of London. By this time Ashutosh Mukerjee passed away, and turned out to be a great personal loss for Raman. Also in the same year, the British Association invited him for the Advancement of Science. On a tour to Canada, he opened a discussion meeting in Toronto on the subject, ‘On the Scattering of Light’. He then went to the U.S. to represent India at the Franklin Institute Centenary celebrations. After that, Raman for four months had been a visiting professor at Rcorman Brodge Laboratory of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena. There he met American physicists Compler Coolidge, Langmulr and others. Raman visited the famous Mount Wilson Observatory then. On his way back, he met Prof. Gold Schmidt of Oslo and Max Born, the famous physicist.
On February 28, 1928, a new type of scattering mechanism called modified radiation was observed. This was Raman Effect for which, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1930. In consideration and in honor of his stupendous original research work, he was elected as the General President of Indian Science Congress to be held at Madras, in 1929.
Success always breeds envy and contempt, as personality conflicts begin to emerge. Raman was stamped as anti-Bengali, which was never a fact. People converged at Calcutta because of Raman’s idealism and fame. K.R. Ramnathan from Kerala was deputed there by the Madras University as a Research Scholar. Next were Bhagvantam and Seshagiri Rao from Mysore. In all nearly half a dozen South Indians worked under him whereas Raman had about dozen or more Bengali associates. Raman selected the scholars stimulated by intense desire to do research. Not only did he look after them but some times, he even provided them food and shelter. This again shades the personality of Raman, off the famous Guru-Shishya (Master-student) relationship of ancient time, of India. Nevertheless, the generosity of Raman was misunderstood.
There was a time when Raman was applauded by people for his achievements and when he provided the desired impetus to the Association, differences crept in. Some felt that Raman was detrimental for the progress of the Association and had to be 'put under leash'. However, according to the constitution of the I.A.C.S., only the general body of the Association could take action against him. The meeting, of general body became stormy. Different charges were raised against Raman. He was removed as the honorary secretary of the Association by the general body. This was a moment of bitter humiliation for Raman.
Great persons are never out of job, it is the great institutes that are always in need of great persons. Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore awaited for its director who had to be internationally renowned in his subject. Directorship of I.I.Sc. was awaiting for him and Raman finally left Calcutta. He joined I.I.Sc. Bangalore as its director. Calcutta’s loss was finally, Bangalore’s gain.
I.I.Sc. started in 1911 with three departments – general and applied chemistry, organic chemistry and electro-technology. Later on, biochemistry was also added. In all these departments, teaching and research especially on applied side were given due importance. This was the picture of I.I.Sc. when Raman joined as director in 1933. He faced problems in Calcutta and had to face further ones at Bangalore too. However, the nature of problems here were a bit different from those at Calcutta.
After joining the I.I.Sc., firstly, Raman started the new physics department, restructured some existing departments and reorganized the workshop. All these changes were in good faith, for the betterment of the institute but unfortunately, they boomeranged. Raman strongly believed that excellent work came from excellent people. He was not happy with the then existing state of various departments. He actually wanted young blood in all departments which led to his taking step towards reorganization. Alas, antagonism against Raman sprouted out of the entire process.
For scientific excellence, Raman wanted Max Born, a well known theoretical physicist and a Nobel Laureate as a professor of mathematical physics. But Asten, professor of electrical engineering at the institute, opposed the move. The turmoil continued to grow against Raman as time passed and gradually he was isolated. The council accepted Raman’s suggestion for the post of professor of physics. But the review committee upset Raman’s proposal for appointing Born. The institute lost Born, as Raman’s antagonists proclaimed success, but spelt a great loss for the institute.
Further, a review committee consisting of Sir James Irvine, Vice-Chancellor of St. Andrews University, Dr. A.H. Madkenze, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Osmania University, and Dr. S.S. Bhatnagar, Professor of Chemistry, Punjab University, prepared a report. No direct charges were leveled against Raman in the sugarcoated Irvine report. But, the report resulted in the removal of Raman as Director who then was allowed to continue as professor.
In May 1933, Raman wrote in the editorial of the Current Science, “The conviction that research in capitalization determines the economic, social and political development of a nation that has not yet been unreservedly accepted as part of administrative policy of India and we are disposed to ascribe tardy and perhaps unwilling recognition of this fundamental fact to the absence of an ace. Indian scientific organization whose function would be to concentrate enlightened public opinion on the doctrine that science is material and spiritual wealth… It seems to be that the early establishment of a National Academy of Science should secure closer and better organized co-operation of activities among all research Institutes in India and exercise through its official journal, a wider influence for consolidation and promotion of the best interest of science.”
Raman’s article in Current Science was so effective that India got two Academies instead of one – The Indian Academy of Science (IAS), Bangalore and the Indian National Science Academy (INAS), Delhi. The IAS is popularly known as Raman’s Academy. Raman was clear about his objectives of the Academy :
(1) To arrange meetings to discuss the results of research
(2) To arrange symposia on special subjects, and
(3) To publish the proceedings.
In November 1948, Raman completed 60 years. It was a time to retire by superannuating. He retired as professor but nevertheless, from active life. He desired even in his old age to move with the times and pursue nuclear physics, but had no resources to do so. Circumstances around his retirement were painful and any person in his place could have broken down but surprisingly enough, he engrossed himself into science with even greater vigor.
After retirement, he decided to start a research institute of international standard. Funds for such institute was a cause for his concern. Raman moved across the length and breadth of the country appealing to philanthropists, princes and wealthy industrialists for donation. He openly admitted that this mission amounted to begging but was not ashamed of it. He openly said, “Our greatest men were beggars – Buddha, Sankara and even Gandhiji.”
The new center named Raman Research Institute started to operate on meager collection of funds and resources. Raman was determined not to approach the Government for the funds as it would only belittle all his efforts to construct an institution on his own.
In 1948, Raman was appointed as national professor. He started chemical industries in partnership with his former student. Whatever he earned out of those industries, he poured funds into R.R.I. for its furtherance. He gifted his property to the Academy for the benefit of the institute and also the prize money from the Lenin peace prize. Rockefeller and Tatas also donated for this cause which now was so dear to his heart.
His days at R.R.I. were very active. He was highly engrossed in nature which was in abundance at the institute. Raman loved trees, flowers and his rose garden. The best specimens of roses that Bangalore nurseries could supply, were brought and planted at his rose garden, under his personal supervision. He gave botanical names of every tree on the campus, and had them planted carefully to maximize the effect of their floral display. Every day, he went round the garden twice to enjoy, to relax and to think. Alongside, Raman loved to collect the crystals, gems, minerals, rock specimens, quartz, shells, stuffed birds, butterflies and anything that displayed color.
His retirement and Independence of India, in the 1947, were almost at the same time. At the time of Independence, Nehru’s slogan “Progress through science” was an inspiring one for one and all. Raman did much for the promotion of science before independence in India. New activities were quite contrary to the philosophy of Raman. He was upset by the imports. He strongly believed that by importing instruments instead of building them at home; “We pay for our ignorance”.
Raman breathed his last in the early hours of Saturday, November 21, 1970. His mortal remains were cremated in the R.R.I campus. There were no religious ceremonies unlike those held for every pious Hindu. No monument except a tree marking the spot where Raman was cremated was planted. He became a legend to some, a matter of history to others and a torch of light (knowledge) to the World of Science.
C.V. Raman, the great Indian physicist, was the first Asian Scientist to be awarded the Nobel Prize in 1930 for his work on the Scattering of Light and Raman Effect. He also carried out research in acoustics, optics, crystallographic dynamics, colors and their perception.
Raman Effect named in honor of C.V. Raman is highly valuable in the study of molecular energy levels and gave rise to Raman Spectroscopy – a powerful method for the analysis of molecular structure. After the discovery of LASER, it came into wider practical usage.
He established the Indian Academy of Sciences (I.A.Sc.), and also became the director of Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore, considered to be the premier research institutes encouraging and nurturing young scientific talent of India.
He was true Gandhian by nature and ideology as the Father of Indian nation, Mahatma Gandhi had left a deep impact on his mind. He was a committed scientist, warm-hearted philanthropist and humanitarian. He was a lecturer (orator) par excellence. He had a stentorian voice, powerful command over language (specially English), great imagination and a unique sense of humor. He was a great lover of nature, flowers, colors and children.
The erstwhile President of India, Dr. Radhakrishnan remarked in his obituary; "C.V. Raman was a great teacher. His knowledge was not confined to physical sciences. In this over - specialized world his breadth of knowledge was remarkable. He combined the highest intellectual integrity with a winning warmth of heart… He was the most illustrious scientist who continued for many years to guide the scientific program of India."
Nov. 7, 1888 Raman was born at Trichinopoly (Trichy). 1892 to 1901 Early education at Trichinopoly 1901 Joined Presidency College, Madras. 1904 B. A. (from Presidency College) with Gold medals in Physics and English. 1906 First Publication in Philosophical Magazine
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1907 Completed M. A (First Class)
Married with Lokasundari.
Appointed as Assistant Accountant General, Finance department at Calcutta. 1910 Transferred to Rangoon. 1911 Transferred (& promoted) to Calcutta. 1917 Selected as Palit Professor of Physics. 1918 Explained Complex Vibrations of strings of Musical Instruments. 1919 Elected Honorary Secretary, Indian Association for Cultivation of Science (I. A. C. S.). 1921 Represented University of Calcutta at British University Congress at Oxford.
Explained blue of sea. 1922 D. Sc. (British University) 1924 Elected as Fellow of Royal Society, London. 1925 Visited Russia to participate 200th anniversary of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 1926 Started Indian Journal of Physics. 1928 Observed the Scattering of Light (Raman Effect).
Matteuece Medal awarded. 1929 President – Indian Science Congress. 1930 Hughes Medal awarded by Royal Society
Nobel Prize in Physics.
(The First Asian to get it). 1932 Resigned as a professor – (from Calcutta University) 1933 Director of Tata Institute of Sciences (now known as Indian Institute of Science), Bangalore
Honorary D. Sc. conferred on him by Bombay University, Madras University, Banaras University, Dacca University. and Paris University,
1934 Founded Indian Academy of Science. 1935-36 Raman - Nath theory of diffraction of light by ultrasonic waves put forth. 1939 Resigned as the Director of I.I.Sc., but continued as Professor and Head of the Physics Department.
Went to Paris to attend the International Congress on Physics. 1940 Raman - Nedungadi discovery of soft behavior in quartz. 1942 Received Franklin Medal. 1947 Found his own institute known as Raman Research Institute at Bangalore. 1948 Retired from I. I. Sc.
Presided the annual session of Indian Science Congress. Director of R. R. I.
Appointed as National Professor. 1951 Published The New Physics : Talks of Aspects of Science. 1954 Awarded Bharat Ratna. 1957 Received International Lenin Peace Prize of U. S. S. R. Nov. 21, 1970 Died at Bangalore.
During a scientific career spanning 66 years, Raman published 627 original research papers and monographs. He was familiar with Lord Rayleigh’s scientific papers and treatise on sound and the works of Helmoltz, at his undergraduate level.
Raman, at 16, started research in an environment and place where there was no tradition of original research in physics. He started acoustical research at Presidency College in 1905, on the vibration curves of bowed string. His first acoustical paper was published in 1909 on a musical instrument called the TECTARA; as a student (1902-04), Raman mastered Lord Rayleigh’s two–volume works on Theory of Sound.
During 1908, Raman investigated several aspects of vibrations of stretched strings resulting in his Mechanical Theory of Vibrations of Bowed Strings of Violin family and observing them. In a monograph on bowed strings, he remarked :
The present position of the subject cannot be considered satisfactory, in view of the fact that no complete and detailed dynamic theory has been put forward which could predict and elucidate the many complicated phenomena that have already been found empirically by those who have worked in the field and that could also pave the way for further research. It was this defect in the present state of knowledge of the subject that induced me to undertake the investigation.
After so many years of its publication, Raman’s work is still relevant to students of acoustics of violin and for that matter of other musical instruments too. He initiated studies in almost all fundamental problems in the physics of violin.
In 1926, when the first encyclopedic work in physics, "Handbuch der physik" was planned for publication, Raman was the only non–European scientist involved to write in this encyclopedia. Raman wrote Handbuch article in 1926. He attended a phenomenon occurring, when a parallel beam of light is diffracted by ultrasonic waves. In modern electro–optic instrumentation, the phenomenon of diffraction of light by ultrasonic waves is utilized in acousto–optic spectrometers, which analyze the electrical signal to obtain the power spectrum. This volume includes the series of papers by Raman and Nath, a collaborator, on the subject.
Raman left acoustics abruptly. Many succeeding acousticians wondered why Raman who was so successful in his acoustic work had left the subject midway. Raman did not think himself as an acoustician, but more as a physicist.
Scattering of Light
Raman wrote two papers during his voyage on board S S Narkunda, on his way to America. He used the diffraction gratings to study the blue sky and blue sea. He suggested that local fluctuations in density postulated by Einstein and Smoluchowski should not only explain the scattering of light in liquids, but also in solids. He took measurements with water and crystalline quartz and showed that the theory put forth, was indeed true.
Later, he had been on the Mount Doddabetta in Nilgiris (to avoid the dust haze), South India, and measured the depolarization of light scattered by the slag and ascribed the residual depolarization to molecular anisotropy. He wrote a monograph on Molecular Diffraction of Light also.
In 1923, Raman suggested K. R. Ramnathan, a fellow scientist, to study the scattering of light through the liquid. A "weak fluorescence" was detected in the scattered track. Raman insisted on the use of most purified light. But this effect persisted. The "weak fluorescence" also showed the polarigatic effect. In 1924, K.S. Krishnan, a collaborator, again observed "weak fluorescence". In 1925, Raman suggested S. Venkateswaram, another researcher, to try and obtain a spectrum of this "weak fluorescence", but no spectrum could be recorded. Raman observed this "feeble fluorescence" as a disturbing effect superposed on the classical scattering of light. He was convinced that the "weak fluorescence" phenomenon was the optical analogue of Campton effect (Scattering of an electron or a particle by X–ray photon).
The real discovery of Raman effect took place on February 28, 1928 when Raman pointed a direct vision spectroscope on the scattered track and saw that the scattered light contained not only the incident color light but also at least one other, separated by dark space.
A quartz mercury arc replaced filtered sunlight used as incident light and sharp modified Raman lines were recorded. The shift in frequency were identified with some of the characteristic infra–red frequencies of the molecule. Not only the degradation, but also the enhancement of the frequency of the scattered radiations were absorbed.
Raman’s field of research was not confined not only to optics and acoustics, but he had very actively and originally applied his mind to many aspects of physics. The diverseness of his research work will be evident from the list of his research articles given below.
• Vibration and Sound (31 articles)
• Theory of Musical Instruments (34)
• Wave optics (60)
• Colloidal Studies (35)
• Molecular Scattering of light (79)
• X–rays and electron diffraction (50)
• Majunction and Magnetic optics (44)
• Electro–optics and dielectric behavior (25)
• Raman effect (50)
• Viscosity of liquid and Surface forces (1)
• Ultrasonic and Hyper Sonics (37)
• Line and Band Spectra (15)
• Raman Spectra (105)
• Optical and elastic properties of Solids (29)
• Scattering (10)
Thus, the wide spectrum of his research work includes a total of 62 articles.
Raman’s explanation on the blue sea and blue sky is historic and the Raman effect earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics. Raman effect opened several directions in the field of research relevant in the past and present.
From the very inception of his research work to the end, his major research interest continually changed gears. Acoustics (1910-1920), Optics and Scattering of light (1920-1930), Ultrasonic diffraction and the application of Brillouin scattering to liquids and Raman scattering to crystal (1930-1940), Diamond and vibrations of crystal lattices (1940-1950) and Optics and Minerals (1950-1960). Clearly, a change seemed due in the early 60s and it came with his renewed interest in vision.
Raman was much interested in the relationship of brightness and color. Having done observations at Calcutta by 7" telescope and in California by 60" and 100" telescopes he found that the total energy of the light beam not only increases the brightness but also considerably affects the sensation of color. He set up some simple experiments to demonstrate and measure the intensity at which the color perception is lost for different colors.
He further explained the scintillation of stars where it is not possible to perceive a star as a steady point source of light unless the stream of light corpuscles reaching at a particular spot on retina are continuous and of sufficient strength. All this knowledge and the theories that he propounded, were indeed unique and path finding, to further the quest of scientific research, throughout the world.
Not Available
1912 Curzon Research Prize
1913 Woodburn Research Medal
1924 Elected Fellow of Royal Society, London
1928 Matteucci Medal – Rome
1929 Knighted by the British Government in India
1930 Hughes Medal, Royal Society, London
1930 Nobel Prize
1935 Rajasabhabhusan – Decoration by the Maharaja of Mysore
1941 Franklin Medal–Franklin Institute– Philadelphia
1948 Appointed National Professor
1954 Bharat Ratna – Decoration by the President of India.
1957 Lenin Prize
Honorary Doctorates from the Universities of Allahabad, Benaras, Bombay, Calcutta, , Delhi, , Kanpur, Lucknow, Madras, Mysore, Patna, Osmania University (Hyderabad) and Shri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Freiburg, Dacca, Paris, and Glasgow.
Honorary Member :
Deutsche Academic of Munich
Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Indian Science Congress Association and some other Science organizations in India
Royal Irish Academy
Royal Philosophical Society, Glasgow
Zurich Physical Society
Honorary Fellow :
Optical Society as America
Mineralogical Society of America
Foreign Associate :
Academy of Sciences, Paris
Foreign Member :
Academy of sciences, USSR.
Honorary Member :
Academy of Socialist Republic of Romania
Catgut Acoustical Society
General President :
Indian Science Congress, 1929
President :
Indian Academy of sciences, 1934 – 1970
