CV Raman Education

Speaking of the great personalities in India, it is impossible that the name of CV Raman doesn’t come up. One of the most influential scientists of the 20th century, his inquisitiveness and the quest for learning led him to the path-breaking discoveries which are of paramount significance in modern science. Leaving an indelible legacy behind him, CV Raman’s stature is unmatched.  His contribution to the field of science is undeniable. Besides that, he was part of the establishment of most of the research institutes in the country. In this blog, we will have a look at CV Raman education and his life.

CV Raman Biography

Born on November 7, 1888, in the city of Tiruchirapalli of Tamil Nadu, Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman’s was the second of eight children. His father Chandrasekaran Ramanathan Iyer was a teacher of Mathematics and Physics. His mother Parvathi Ammal was taught by her husband to read and write. At the time of Raman’s birth, the family was financially unstable but when he was four years old, his father became a lecturer which improved their living condition and they moved to Visakhapatnam. From a very young age, the education of CV Raman has been exceptional. He was interested in reading books and Science as a subject that always fascinated the young Raman.

As he grew older, he began reading his father’s books. At a very tender age, Raman had understood the importance of reading, he would borrow books on Mathematics and Physics from his friends. Throughout his years at college and at university, academic excellence became characteristic to CV Raman. Probably the most distinguished scientist of the 20th century, C V Raman was selected as the first national professor of India after the independence. For his groundbreaking work in the field of physics, he won Nobel Prize in 1930.

Do you know? In 1928, CV Raman was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Physics and became a winner in 1930 but he lost to Owen Richardson

Childhood and Family

Dr CV Raman was born on 7th November 1888. Raman is born in a south Indian family in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu. His father Chandrasekhara Ramanathan Iyer was a lecturer in Mathematics and Physics at the university of Vishakhapatnam. Her mother was named Parvathi Ammal. CV Raman was a brilliant student right from his childhood and always stood first in his field of education. He did BA and M.A in Physics and his university life, he had displayed exemplary brilliance in scientific investigations.

CV Raman Education

The education of CV Raman did not begin at the school but at the time he realized his love for science. At the age of 11, he completed his matriculation and at the age of 14, Raman began his bachelor’s degree at the Presidency College in 1903. Raman’s enthusiasm can be gauged by the fact that he would explain experiments to his younger brothers and sisters when on vacations. In 1904, he completed his degree emerging as a topper, winning medals in Physics and English. Though his professors advised him to study for his masters in the UK, his doctor suggested otherwise due to his health issues. So he stayed in India and pursued his higher education from the same college. In 1907, after earning his master’s degree from the Presidency College, he worked as an accountant in the finance department. In 1917, he became the professor of Physics at the University of Calcutta where he furthered his research and studied the ‘Scattering of light’ in various substances which won him great acclaim. 

Do you know? Dr. CV Raman was awarded the Knight Bachelor in 1930

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Research Years

In the Period of 1907 – 1917, CV Raman did his research at the Indian Association for Cultivation of Science. After doing government service for 10 years, he resigned from the post to work as a professor of Physics at Calcutta University & served his 15 years in the field of education. Later, he joined IISC and continued his work of research. Some of his renowned researches were: 

• In 1934, founded the Indian Academy of Science
• In 1943,  Set up the Raman Research Institute.

He continued his research years until his death. His untimely death was caused by a heart stroke in the year 1970 on November 21

Death

Raman suffered a cardiac arrest and died in his laboratory in the year 1970 on November 21st. He was taken to the hospital, where physicians assessed his illness and said he wouldn’t live for another four hours. He did, however, live for a few days and wished to be surrounded by his supporters in the gardens of his institute.

On the day of his death, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi Publicly announced, saying:

“The country, the House [of Parliament], and every one of us will mourn the death of Dr C. V. Raman. He was the greatest scientist of modern India and one of the greatest intellects our country has produced in its long history. His mind was like the diamond, which he studied and explained. His life’s work consisted in throwing light upon the nature of lights, and the world honoured him in many ways for the new knowledge which he won for science.“

Top Scientific and Philosophical Quotes by CV Raman

Do you know? In 1932, CV Raman also discovered the Quantum Photo Spin, which further confirmed the quantum nature of light

The Raman Effect

“Change in the wavelength of light that occurs when a light beam is deflected by molecules. When a beam of light traverses a dust-free, transparent sample of a chemical compound, a small fraction of the light emerges in directions other than that of the incident (incoming) beam.”

During his lifetime, he published about 21 studies in domestic journals and 146 publications in foreign journals. For his remarkable work in Physics which is known as the “Raman Effect,” CV Raman was awarded many prizes which include the prestigious Nobel Prize. His work on the phenomenon of the scattering of light was instrumental in modern Raman Spectroscopy. In the year 1924, he was elected to the fellowship of the Royal Society of London and in 1929, he was conferred with the knighthood title of ‘Sir’. Besides being honoured with Lenin Peace Prize in 1958, CV Raman was awarded the highest civilian honour ‘Bharat Ratna’ in 1954 by the Government of India.

CV Raman Inventions

1. Apart from inventing the famous Raman effect, he is also known as the discoverer of the atomic nucleus and Proton. 
2. In 1932, Raman and Suri Bhagavantam discovered the quantum photon spin. This discovery is further proved the quantum nature of light.
3. Raman after winning Nobel Prize, said, he was inspired by the “Wonderful blue opalescence of the Meditteranean Sea”. 
4. He was not only an expert on light, he also experimented with acoustics. 
5. Raman was the first person to investigate the harmonic nature of the sound of Indian drums such as tabla and mridangam. 

CV Raman Honourable Works

• In 1926, he established the Indian Journal of Physics where he was the editor.
• In 1922, he published his work on the “Molecular Diffraction of Light” which led to the amazing discovery of the radiation effect on 28th February in 1928.
• In 1948, he also studied the fundamental problems of crystal dynamics.

Do you know? Raman was the first Asian & the first non-white person to receive any Nobel Prize in the field of science

Top Books by CV Raman

CV Raman was the author of many famous books as well. Here are some of his famous books you must add to your reading list:

1. Scattering of Light
2. Acoustic
3. Optica
4. Optics of Minerals & Diamond
5. Physics of Crystals
6. Floral Colors & Visual Perception

Inspirational Quotes by CV Raman

I am the master of my own failure…If I never fail how will I ever learn.

Ask the right questions, and nature will open her doors for secrets.

Treat me right and you will see the light…treat me wrong and you will be gone!

Success can come to you by courageous devotion to the task lying in front of you

If someone judges you, they are wasting space in their mind…The best part, it’s their problem

Lesser-Known Facts about CV Raman

1. Raman was appointed the first Palit Professor of Physics at the University of Calcutta in 1917.
2. During his research period, Raman became an honorary scholar at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS). 
3. Raman was the first Asian and Non-white Individual to win a Nobel Prize in Science.
4. Not known by many, Raman had a collaborator in the Raman-effect K.S Krishnan and the two had some professional differences and did not share the Nobel Prize. 
5. On the first death anniversary of CV Raman, the Indian Postal Service published a commemorative stamp of Sir CV Raman with the reading of his spectroscopy and a diamond in the background.

Nobel Prize Winner CV Raman

Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, was awarded the prize in Physics in 1930 “ for his work on the scattering of light and for the discovery of the effect named after him”.

On the eve of Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman's birthday, take a look at this clip from 1930 when Sir Raman had just arrived to Stockholm, Sweden to receive his Nobel Prize at the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony on 10 December. #NobelPrize pic.twitter.com/KgU1rTAO1Q

— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) November 6, 2020

Other Honours and Awards

Following are the honours and awards other than Nobel Prize, won by the C.V. Raman in the years:

• 1912, Curzon Research Award
• 1913, Woodburn Research Medal
• 1928, Matteucci Medal
• 1930, Lord Irwin, Viceroy of India, conferred him a Knight Bachelor in a special ceremony at the Viceroy’s House (Now Rashtrapati Bhavan) in New Delhi
• 1930, Hughes Medal of the Royal Society
• 1941, Franklin Medal
• 1954, Bharat Ratna Award
• 1957, Lenin Peace Prize

Also Read: 

• Education of Mahatma Gandhi
• Education of Rabindranath Tagore
• Education of Kalpana Chawla
• Education of Albert Einstein
• APJ Abdul Kalam Education

CV Raman education and his inquisitiveness serve as a source of inspiration for many science aspirants. That is the reason why we celebrate National Science Day in India on 28 February. If you are one of those who want to make a difference in society by excelling in the field you are passionate about, Leverage Edu can help you with achieving it. By taking your psychometric test, our experts can help you in exploring your potential proceeded with your profile evaluation and then finding the right destination for you to study. From getting your visa ready to university admissions to finding a residency for you, we take care of everything.