Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, 1888-1970

Abstract

Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman was born at Trichinopoly in South India on the 7 November 1888. Raman’s parents, Chandrasekhara Iyer and Parvati Ammal, lived at that time in what was then called the province of Madras, a part of India now known as the Tamil Nadu. The family, for many generations, had been pursuing the profession of agriculture and were of moderate means. Family traditions in those days were such that if anyone attempted to break off from them, it would have been regarded as a bold step. Raman’s father did take such a bold step when for the first time in the family, he took to teaching in the local English High School. This bold step was followed by another when Mr Chandrasekhara Iyer decided to accept the post of lecturer in physics and mathematics at the Mrs A. V. N. College, Vizagapatam; Raman was then four years old. Vizagapatam, now known as Visakhapatnam, is a sea-port town on the east coast of India and situated in the State of Andhra Pradesh. Thus, the parents and with them the four-year-old son moved to Vizagapatam. The next ten years of Raman’s life were spent at Vizagapatam, where he studied for eight years in the High School and two years in the College. He passed the Intermediate examination in 1902, enabling himself to join for a university degree course. In January 1903, he moved to Madras and joined the Presidency College. He passed his B.A. degree examination in 1904, winning the first place and a Gold Medal in physics. He passed the M.A. degree examination in 1907, again obtaining a first division and record marks.