The 1930 Nobel Prize for Physics: A close decision?

Abstract

Raman scattering (in Russia called combination scattering) was discovered in 1928 by Indian and Russian scientists, at almost the same time. In 1930, the Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded to the Indian scientist Sir C.V. Raman, F.R.S., while the Russian scientists G.S. Landsberg and L.I. Mandelstam were rejected. The reasons for this are illustrated by analysing the nomination letters for the three scientists, as well as the report of the Nobel Committee for the year 1930.