C. V. Raman was a pioneer in the field of physics and his work helped establish modern optics and lasers. He was not just ahead of his time, he was also ahead of the world and contributed significantly towards achieving a goal which has now become an integral part of our lives: light-based communication and information technology.
This article provides an overview about the life, achievements, timeline and achievements in Raman’s life that led to him being termed as one of India’s greatest scientists by many Nobel laureates. It briefly traces his journey from rural Tamil Nadu to becoming a world renowned physicist at Cambridge University in England – what appears initially to be an unlikely achievement! The article later highlights how C. V. Raman developed the science of Raman scattering and did many pioneering experiments which showed that the entire universe was made up of light, and how his findings on the nature of light were pivotal in developing the field of optical engineering.
Raman’s major contribution to the field of physics included establishing modern optics, as well as laser technology, for providing an alternate route to communication and information without wires. His invention earned him a Nobel Prize in 1930 in recognition for this scientific breakthrough. The fact that it took 22 years from his initial discovery to earning a Nobel Prize proves how difficult and arduous his journey was. The article ends with a brief discussion on how he handled the Nobel Prize money and why he is still remembered as one of India’s greatest scientists.
C. V. Raman (1888-1970) was one of India’s greatest scientists who contributed through his works in the fields of physics and chemistry, especially in the fields of light scattering and laser lights. He was born at Thiruvanaikaval, near Tiruchirappalli, in the state of Tamil Nadu, on 7 November 1888. Raman began his schooling in a private school near his home but later shifted to St Andrews School in Tiruchirappalli where he performed well academically; particularly excelling at mathematics, physics and chemistry.