49th death anniversary of C V Raman: Remembering his achievements in physics

New Delhi, Nov 21: On the 49th death anniversary of the first Asian Nobel laureate in physics, Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman is also known as C.V. Raman, India pays him homage.

Sir C.V.Raman's contribution to science is illustrious and outstanding.

He was born on November 7, 1888, in Trichinopoly, Tamil Nadu. He got gold medal in physics, he completed his study from Presidency College, Madras.

In 1917, during British ruling in India Raman eventually started teaching physics at the University of Calcutta. In 1933 he was appointed to lead the department of physics at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. A few years later, in 1947 post-independence he became the director of the Raman Research Institute. His work was so prominent and it has a huge contribution to the growth of science in India.

C.V.Raman discovered that when light traverses a transparent material, some of the deflected light changes wavelength and amplitude. This phenomenon, subsequently known as Raman scattering, results from the Raman effect in 1928. And in 1930 he received the Nobel Prize for Physics.

In 1929, he received the knighthood award and in 1954 he was honoured by the Bharat Ratna. In 1998, Raman's discovery as an International Historic Chemical Landmark was recognised by the American Chemical Society and Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science.

Apart from science, Raman also contributed hugely to set up the Indian research institution. Besides, this he also penned down many books and journals and chronicles of science. In 1928, his work on "Molecular Diffraction of Light" was published.

Raman's death was a tragic incident, on one fine day in 1970, Raman collapsed in his laboratory after a cardio arrest.

During his treatment in the hospital, doctors gave a time period of four days for his survival. Luckily he was out of danger and survived for a few days more. He wanted to spend the last days of his life in his own garden hence he left the hospital.

Before his death, he told his students that do not allow the journals of the Academy to die.

And on 21 November 1970, the Nobel Laureate of physics left for his heavenly abode.