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Sir C.V Raman
This chapter outlines the meaningful life time of Sir C.V. Raman. It consists of an overview of his passion for science, his dedication in everything he did, his accomplishments and his kind-heartedness.
Early life
Sir C.V. Raman was a brilliant researcher. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for his work on light scattering and the discovery of the Raman Effect. The government offered him 25 acres of land to continue his research. Sir C.V. Raman’s dream child was the Raman Institute.
He was born in Trichy on November 7th, 1888. He was born to Chandrasekhar Iyar and Parvathi Ammal. His father worked as a physics professor at Hindu College in Vishakhapatnam. Raman was a student there. Since his childhood, he was fascinated by science. He had built the model ‘dynamo’ when he was a child. Several college students lent him science books to read. Unfortunately, he was very prone to falling sick, which held him back from working on what he desired, sometimes.
He secured a First Class in his Matriculation exams when he was 12 years old. He enrolled in Presidency Collegehowever, his relatives urged him to abandon science in favour of B.A. to specialize in history and economics. Raman, on the other hand, majored in Physics and received the I rank, as well as a number of awards in his B.A. In January 1907, he completed his M.A. in Physics.
He planned to go to the United Kingdom for further science studies after completing his M.A. However, he was unable to attend due to his ill health. This deeply disappointed him. In 1907, he was appointed Deputy Accountant General in Calcutta after securing first place in his competitive exams. His entire family was ecstatic to hear the news. But Raman felt like a fish out of water (not comfortable in a situation) in his new position. He remained hopeful and awaited an opportunity to pursue his dream of becoming a scientist.
Accomplishments
Despite his position as Deputy Accountant General, he interacted with scientists and developed an interest in science. After noticing a scientific banner on the train, he stepped off to meet the scientists. He hurriedly went to examine at a piece of Modern Scientific apparatus after learning that a university had purchased it.
Calcutta’s Posts and Telegraphs appointed him Special Accountant General in 1911. But he gave up that opportunity and enthusiastically grabbed the chance to become a Professor at Calcutta University. He was then appointed Director of the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore after 15 years of service. Founded in 1948, the Raman Research Institute is a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing the science of Sir Raman. He resigned from the position at Indian Institute of Science and rose through the ranks of the Research Institute to the position of Director.
Sir C.V Raman was a man of character
He was a wonderful and dedicated scientist. When he was at work, he would forget about food and relaxation, and his wife had to constantly remind him that his breakfast or coffee was turning cold. He was inspired by the beautiful blues of the Mediterranean Sea and began researching the laws of light scattering in liquids, eventually discovering the Raman Effect. In 1930, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for this work.
Raman was a moral man. He helped a villager in exchanging a burned 100 Rupee note for a fresh one while serving as the Deputy Accountant General. Because of his honesty, Raman once allowed an applicant to the Raman Research Institute despite the fact that he failed the test.
Awards
Raman won several awards and medals. In 1929, King George V knighted him and titled him Sir C.V. Raman. He holds Doctorates from a numerous university. In 1954, the Indian government honoured him with the Bharat Ratna. He was also felicitated with the International Lenin Prize by the Soviet Union.
Thus, we understand, that his best trait was his unwavering dedication towards science and research, which helped him not only achieve worldwide reputation but also raise the prestige of India.
