Great Scientists |
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Biographies of Great
Indians & Hindus |
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Dr.C.V.RAMAN |
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'A
General Practitioner in Science'
When Raman stepped into the field of research, Modern Physics was in its infancy. It
developed numerous branches by the time he began working in his own Institute. Then
research workers had access to modern equipment and methods, which were not available six
decades earlier. They tended to study a small field and to specialize in it. But Raman
never limited his activities and interests to a narrow field.
Raman once inaugurated the 'General Practitioners' Conference' in Bangalore. A
general practitioner is a doctor who treats common illnesses. Raman humorously
commented on that occasion that he was a general practitioner in science. He liked all
scientific problems whether they were small or big. His interest and satisfaction lay in
finding a solution to the problem.
In 1969, the daughter of Nagendranath (who had been a research student under him thirty
years earlier) was married; Raman and his wife attended thereception. Raman drew
Nagendranath aside and explained his new problem; he was trying to find a theory of
earthquakes taking into account the actual shape of the earth and the wave-like nature of
the quakes. Raman was not a person to be satisfied with his past achievements. He was
always seeking new and vaster fields of study.
Raman was a delightful speaker. Sprinkled with good humor, his talk was usually
focussed on realities. Raman used to say that the color of the sea interested him more
than the fish, which lived in it. He thought that we should have our own ships for
oceanographic research (the study of the sea). He often said that India lost her freedom
because she took no interest in the seas.
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