C V Raman an ideal Guru, an ideal disciple

November 7, 2013: Nation salutes Sir C V Raman on his 125th Birth Anniversary today. Born in Thiruvanaikaval, Trichy of Tamilnadu Sir Chandrasekhar Venkata Raman Raman was the first Indian Scientist to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1930 for his discovery of ‘Scattering Effect of Light’. 

Dr. C.V.Raman, Nobel laureate and an ideal Guru, was invited by the then President of India Dr Rajendra Prasad to Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi for the investiture ceremony for awarding `Bharat Ratna'. C.V.Raman wrote back, "As my student who has completed his Ph.D course under my supervision is to face his oral examination on that date, I will not be able to come to Delhi in person. My presence here will be a source of encouragement to my student". 

Dr. C V Raman was also an ideal disciple. While experimenting in discoveries in acoustics, (also being a scientist) approached a Doctor to acquire knowledge of anatomy of the ear. Overwhelmed by the call of a noble laureate of world renown, the Doctor requested the time of the meeting. C V Raman said, “Here you are my Guru. Tell me about your convenient time”. This humble approach made many major scientific discoveries in acoustics, ultrasonic, optics, magnetism and crystal physics. Raman’s works on the musical drums of India was epoch-making and it revealed the acoustical knowledge of the ancient Hindus. It may be noted here that it was Pythagoras who first formulated what makes a sound musical to the human ear.