National Science Day 2023: 10 Interesting Facts About Sir CV Raman

NATIONAL SCIENCE DAY 2023: Indian scientist Sir CV Raman won the Nobel Prize in 1928 following his groundbreaking discovery of the Raman Effect. Raman’s findings forever revolutionised the field of science. In his honour, the country celebrates National Science Day on the day he made the discovery. It serves as a platform to encourage and inspire the youth to develop an interest in science and its various aspects. The goal is to promote greater scientific literacy among the wider population.

Interesting Facts About Sir CV Raman’s Life

1. CV Raman’s father was a lecturer in mathematics and physics. This background ensured that he was immersed in an academic atmosphere from an early age.
2. In his Nobel-winning experiment, Raman collaborated with co-worker KS Krishnan. Krishnan did not share the Nobel Prize due to some professional differences with Raman. Despite this, in his Nobel acceptance speech, the scientist laid strong emphasis on Krishnan’s contributions.
3. With his win, CV Raman became the first Asian and non-Caucasian individual to win a Nobel Prize in science.
4. Once, Raman was asked about the inspiration behind his revolutionary optical theory. He replied, saying that the “wonderful blue opalescence of the Mediterranean Sea” he noticed while he was going to Europe in 1921 motivated him.
5. In addition to his expertise in light, CV Raman delved into acoustics, becoming the first person to explore the harmonic properties of Indian drums such as tabla and mridangam.
6. Dr Ernest Rutherford, the discoverer of the atomic nucleus and proton, praised Raman’s spectroscopy in his 1929 presidential address to the Royal Society, which subsequently awarded Raman a knighthood in recognition of his contributions.
7. In 1933, CV Raman made history as the first Indian director of the Indian Institute of Science (IIS), a notable accomplishment during the colonial era when all IIS directors were British.
8. CV Raman’s wife, Lokasundari Ammal, suggested naming their home Panchvati after the hermitage where Rama and Sita lived during their exile.
9. The Nobel laureate was distrustful of government involvement and had a strong aversion to project reports that required him to submit regular updates on the institute’s activities to funders. He firmly believed in “no-strings-attached” science and refused government funding to maintain the institution’s independence.
10. Raman is believed to have pranked Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru once. He tricked the PM into believing copper is gold using UV light rays.

Read all the Latest Education News here