SIR C. V . RAMAN
- Shubashree Desikan
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| Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, | (8 November 1888 – 21 November 1970) |
1.How were the great men who Raman read about as a child reflection in the work he did later in life?
C. V. Raman was born on 8th November 1888, the second child of R. Chandrasekara Iyer and Parvathi Ammal. When he was four years old, Raman’s family moved to Vishakapatnam. His father worked as a lecturer in Mrs. A.V. Narasimha Rao College, there he taught physics, mathematics and physical geography. Raman’s father took active interest in sports, and was physically well built. But Raman didn’t take his father’s features but was very intelligent and preferred to read books and work at his studies.
Since at his young age Raman was associated with great books. He was fond of reading and read three books which were original writings of great scientists. These books were to him like old friends never to be forgotten. This scholarly thought made him to raise heights in his life. These three books were Edwin Arnold’s Light of Asia, which is the story of Gautama Buddha, The Element of Euclid, a treatise on classical geometry, and The Sensations of Tone, by German scientist Helmholtz, on the properties of sound waves. These books were the base for the rest of his study.
Raman topped the University in Bachelor’s degree, seeing his brilliance his teachers advised him to go for Civil Services. It was very prestigious exams and hardly a few non-britishers got a chance to do. But he was proved to be medically unfit for this exam. After this he directly chooses to pursue Science, which was his passion since beginning.
SIR C. V . RAMAN
2.What understanding made Raman to scale greater heights in life
C. V. Raman was born on 8th November 1888, the second child of R. Chandrasekara Iyer and Parvathi Ammal. When he was four years old, Raman’s family moved to vishakapatnam. His father worked as a lecturer in Mrs. A.V. Narasimha Rao College, there he taught physics, mathematics and physical geography. Raman’s father took active interest in sports, and was physically well built. But Raman didn’t take his father’s features but was very intelligent and preferred to read books and work at his studies.
Since at his young age Raman was associated with great books. He was fond of reading and read three books which were original writings of great scientists. These books were to him like old friends never to be forgotten. This scholarly thought made him to raise heights in his life. These three books were Edwin Arnold’s Light of Asia, which is the story of Gautama Buddha, The Element of Euclid, a treatise on classical geometry, and The Sensations of Tone, by German scientist Helmholtz, on the properties of sound waves. These books were the base for the rest of his study.
Raman finished school when he was just eleven years old and spent two years studying at his father’s college. Immediately after his intermediate study he joined B.A course at Presidency college in Madras (Chennai). Besides being young for his class, he failed to impress the teachers because of his unimpressive in appearance and poor recalls, by this his English teacher doubts his presence whether he belongs to Bachelor degree or not but unfortunately he had give affirmative answer. At the end, Raman surprises everyone by topping the University B.A examinations.
Seeing his brilliance his teachers advised him to appear for Indian Civil Services Examinations. It was very prestigious exam in those days hardly non-britishers get through it. Raman had to undergo a medical examination before he could qualify the ICS test. Civil Surgeon declared medically unfit to travel to England. This is the only exam he failed. He keeps the ICS test apart and went on to study Physics. He states that ‘I shall ever by grateful to this man’.
Raman soon joined the M.A. Physics in Presidency college, Madras. He made a good use of his post-graduation study and made a lively experiments with light waves. He displayed his original thinking on matters such as the diffraction or deflection of light when entering a narrow silt. Raman wondered what would happen if the light shone straight, not from an angle, on an intervening screen. Though a student still in his teens he published to results of this study in the British Journal, “Philosophical Magazine”. His work clearly speaks of his original thinking and practical perceptions of his study.
Raman passed the M.A. examination in January 1907, coming first in the University. Soon after this, he married Lokasundari. He was ambitious to pursue research, but there were no labs in India, and he could not travel to England. So he decided to take up the Financial Services Examination, he topped the examination and moved with his wife to Calcutta to work as an Assistant Accountant General. His being married entitled him to an allowance of what was fabulous amount in those days – Rs.400.
One day Raman incidentally spotted a signboard with the words ‘Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science’. That roused his curiosity and became the laboratory where along with his team performed the legendary experiments on light. From then Raman worked hard intensely, in the day time he used to work as financial officer, in the evening he would immerse himself in research until night. Such work speaks about Sir C.V. Raman, how close he was attached to pursue research in Physics. During these days his papers appeared in international journals such as Nature and the Philosophical Magazine, published in England, and the Physical Review, published in the USA, and Raman began spreading his experiments, his latest inventories in Physics had spread across the world. Altogether, he started presenting popular lectures, live demonstrations that made even non-specialists understand his work. But sadly, such practices lost its way after Sir C.V. Raman.
3.Write a short note on Sir C.V. Raman’s work on waves and sound.
Raman was fascinated by waves and sound, this interest he had been carrying out since he read Helmholtz’s book in his schooldays. Basing this book, he explained the working of the ektara, which is a simple instrument made of a resonant box and a string stretched to lie across the cavity. With this simple object, he developed several ideas that he called – ‘remarkable resonances’. This was the fist time scientific understanding was made. Raman’s studies on the violin were extensive and were later published as a book entitled - On the Mechanical Theory of Musical Instruments of the Violin Family with Experimental Results: Part 1.
How does a scientific understanding a violin? Raman made a violin with all the other odds and ends found in the lab. It didn’t exactly look like the instrument that we know, but it had all the features of the violin - the stretched string, the resonant box, the bow which can be moved at a desired speed and stroke – length by adjusting the mechanical wheel. That was the first time a mechanical violin player was designed for violin research, but it is a concept used even today. Raman furthered his study to other instruments like tambura, mridangam, tabla and others. Then he turned his attention to optics.
4.Give a brief account of Sir C.V.Raman’s work the University of Calcutta.
Around 1917, Raman was offered a very prestigious position of Palit Professor of Physics at the University of Calcutta. That position needs foreign experience, seeing his inventory research in Physics, and above this he was much qualified to train foreign students. This rule was waived. Raman without having a second thought of leaving fabulous income, he willfully accepted the university’s offer as a Palit Professor. He was only required to manage the laboratory and guide research, but he preferred to teach courses. Because of his presence at the University, a number of students from all over India were attracted to Calcutta and rose to great heights. In 1921 the University of Calcutta conferred an honorary doctorate on him. As the representative of the University, he attended the University Congress at Oxford. On his way back, he sat on the ship’s deck for hours observing the blue colour of the sea through his optical tools. He discovered that water molecules could scatter light just like air molecules. This discovery initiated the famous Raman Effect. In 1922 he published an essay, “The Molecular Diffraction of Light” in which Raman thought that light could exist in massless particles of energy. Finally in 1927, Raman and his team proved that light can undergo scattering through a liquid resulting in a change in its frequency. This is the famous Raman Effect for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1930. Subsequently, 28th February is annually observed as National Science Day.
5.What discovery did Raman made during his voyage across the Mediterranean and how did it prove to the important?
Sir C.V. Raman made an extensive contribution in the field of Physics. The book ‘The Sensation of Tone, by German scientist Helmholtz, on the properties of sound waves had made very provoking thought of doing study in Physics. In rest of his academic life when the chance had come for opting subjects he chose Physics. When he was in post-graduation and was associated in ‘Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science’ had made an extensive study in Physics and made a new theories, inventions etc.
In 1921, the University of Calcutta conferred on him a honorary doctorate. He also went overseas for the first time. He represented to the University Congress of Oxford. During his voyage back to India, Raman spent hours watching sea from the deck of his ship and was stuck by its colour. The dark blue is nothing but the reflection of sky. His paper explained his observations on the Mediterranean Sea was on its way to the journal Nature.
6.How was Sir C.V.Raman’s late life.
From the University of Calcutta, Raman took up the directorship of Indian Institute of Science, in Bangalore. He retire in 1948. He gave equal time to both research and organizational work there. He tenure this time was very controversial but never thought of leaving the country for a better life. He devoted his final years, from 1946 to 1970 looking after the Raman Research Institute and Indian Academy of Science. He also edited the journals Current Science and the Proceedings of the Academy. He died on 21st November 1970. By a special arrangement his body was cremated in the Institute camp only without religious ceremonies. Now only a solitary tree marks the spot where he was cremated in the campus of the Raman Research Institute. Raman would be remembered for his contributions to science and for winning the Nobel Prize for Physics as an Indian Scientist.
7. What made Raman say of the Civil Surgeon of Madras, ‘I shall ever be grateful to this man’?
Raman was greatly influenced by the books he read from his father’s collection. They made a extensive impact in rest of his life. He finished school when he was just eleven years old and spent two years studying at his father’s college. Immediately after his intermediate study he joined B.A course at Presidency college in Madras (Chennai). Besides being young for his class, he failed to impress the teachers because of his unimpressive in appearance and poor recalls, by this his English teacher doubts his presence whether he belongs to Bachelor degree or not but unfortunately he had give affirmative answer. At the end, Raman surprises everyone by topping the University B.A examinations.
Seeing his brilliance his teachers advised him to appear for Indian Civil Services Examinations. It was very prestigious exam in those days hardly non-britishers get through it. Raman had to undergo a medical examination before he could qualify the ICS test. Civil Surgeon declared medically unfit to travel to England. This is the only exam he failed. He keeps the ICS test apart and went on to study Physics. He states that ‘I shall ever by grateful to this man’.
Because Civil Surgeon declared him medically unfit, he choose to study Physics, his defined area where he made his life in later years. He was a recipient of Nobel prize and veteran scientist of Physics.
8.Why was the day when Raman walked into the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science a historic moment?
After Raman passed MA examination in January 1907, coming first in the University. Then, he married Lokasundary, who belonged to Madurai. Raman wanted to further his studies in research, but unfortunately there were no labs in India, and he couldn’t afford to travel to England. Then, he choose to take up the Financial Civil Services examination – a forerunner of the Indian Administration and Audit Services (IAAS). He topped the examination and moved with his wife to Calcutta to work as an Assistant Accountant General. One day, when Raman was riding to work on a tram, he spotted a signboard with the words ‘Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science’. Because, he was deeply associated with research in science, his curiosity aroused. He got off the tram and, in what was a historic moment, walked into the building that was to become the laboratory. There he and his team performed the legendary experiments on light. From the day Raman was given the keys to the IACS. As he had already associated with his service and he had a long passion to pursue research in science. His passion led him to work hard. In the day time he used to work as an Assistant Accountant General and in the evening he would immerse himself in research until night.
In Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, he had legendary experiments of light, sound and musical instruments.
SIR C. V . RAMAN
To remember
1. C.V.Raman was born in Tiruchurapalli (known as Trichinopoly) on 8th Nov, 1888.
2. Raman was the second child of R.Chandrashekara Iyer and Parvathi Ammal.
3. Raman’s father worked as a Lecturer in Mrs. A.V.Narsimha Rao College, where he taught Physics, Mathematics, and Physical Geography.
4. Three significant books moulded Raman’s mental and spiritual outlook.
5. Edwin Arnold wrote Light of Asia, which is the story of Guatham Buddha.
6. The book The Elements of Euclid, is a treatise on classical geometry.
7. The book The Sensations of Tone was written by German scientist Helmholtz on the properties of sound waves.
8. Raman was the first student of Presidency College to publish a research paper in the Philosophical Magazine, a British Journal.
9. Raman was declared medically unfit to travel to England by Civil Surgeon of Madras.
10. Raman passed his M.A Exam from Presidency College, Chennai, in Jan, 1907 and stood first in the University.
11. Raman married Lokasundari, who belonged to Madurai.
12. He took up the Financial Service Examination, a forerunner of the Indian Administrative and Audit Services (IACS) and topped the exam and joined as an Assistant Accounts Officer.
13. During his stay with Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), he published his papers in international journals such as Philosophic Magazine, England and Physical Review, USA.
14. Raman introduced the practice of giving live demonstrations.
15. Raman was fascinated by waves and sounds and seems to carried in his mind the memory of reading Helmoholtz’s book ‘The Sensations of Tone’
16. Raman’s studies on Violin were extensive and were later published as a book ‘On the Mechanical Theory of Vibrations of the Musical Instruments of the Violin Family with Experimental Results: Part I’.
17. After publishing book on Violin, he got interested in Acoustics until 1920 and later he became interested in Optics.
18. Ashutosh Mookerjee, the newly appointed V.C of University of Calcutta offered Raman the post of Palit Professor of Physics around 1917.
19. Some well-known and brilliant students of Raman were K.R.Ramanthan, K.S. Krisnan and Suri Bhagavantham.
20. In 1921, the University of Calcutta conferred on Raman an honorary doctorate and it was his first overseas trip.
21. He represented University of Calcutta when he attended University congress in Oxford in 1921.
22. When Raman’s ship finally docked at Bombay, his paper on observation on Mediterrenean sea was on its way to journal Nature.
23. Lord Rayleigh said about the blue colour of the sky ‘ the dark blue colour of the deep blue sea has nothing to do with the colour of water but is simply the blue of the sky seen in reflection’.
24. Raman discovered that water molecules could scatter just like air molecules.
25. In 1922, Raman wrote a brilliant essay titled ‘The Molecular Diffraction of Light’, in which he speculated the light may exist in quanta, that is, as massless particles of energy.
26. With the discovery of Compton Effect in 1923, the existence of light quanta was established beyond doubt.
27. In 1927, Raman’s students were able to say confidently that the new effect was not ‘a type of fluorescence’ but a modified scattering and it led to the discovery made on 28, February, 1927.
28. The fact that the light can undergo a scattering through a liquid resulting in a change in its frequency – the famous Raman Effect – and the date is celebrated as National Science Day till date.
29. Raman was awarded Nobel Prize for Physics in 1930.
30. Raman took up chairmanship of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and stayed there until he retired in 1948.
31. Raman devoted his final years from 1946 to 1970 in setting up Raman Research Center in Bangalore besides running Indian Academy of Science.
32. He died on 21 November, 1970.
33. This piece of prose on C.V.Raman adapted from Vignettes in Physics, University Press.
Meanings
a. voracious - having a very strong desire to do a lot of something
b. pore over - to read something very carefully for a long time
c. welter - a large and confusing number of something
d. fabulous - extremely good, wonderful
e. legendry - very famous and admired
f. fascinated - extremely interested in something
g. resonant - a sound that id deep, clear and loud, continues for some time
h. full-fledged - completely established
i. brusquely - using very few words in a way that seems rude
j. waive - to state officially that a rule can be ignored
k. confer - to officially give someone a title, etc, especially for an achievement
l. intently - giving all your attention to something
m. radical - very new or different
n. speculate - to guess
o. hunch - a feeling that something true and will happen
p. historic - very important, that is recorded for future
q. accolade - praise or prize given for someone’s work
r. tenure - the period of time when someone has an important position
s. consigned to flames – cremated
t. improvise - to do something without any preparation because you are forced to do so by an unexpected situation
Pico Iyer is one of the most revered and respected travel writers today. He was born in England in 1957, raised in California, and educated at Eton, Oxford, and Harvard, currently lives in Japan.
