The Light and The Shadow: C. V. Raman, The First Asian Nobel Scientist

Описание: In this episode, we explore the brilliant and often turbulent life of Sir C. V. Raman, a child prodigy turned physicist who became the first Asian and non-white person to win a Nobel Prize in the sciences. We trace his unconventional path from a civil servant in the Indian Finance Service to a full-time researcher who described his time at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science as his "golden era".
Join us as we break down the "Raman effect"—the groundbreaking discovery that proved the quantum nature of light—and how a simple sea voyage inspired Raman to disprove the prevailing theory that the ocean was merely reflecting the sky.
Beyond the physics, we dive into the fascinating prism of Raman’s personality:
• Unwavering Confidence: Hear the story of how he booked steamship tickets to Stockholm in July, months before the Nobel Prize was even announced in November.
• Scientific Controversies: We discuss his professional feuds, including his "tragedy" with collaborator K. S. Krishnan, whom Raman later dismissed as a "charlatan" despite Krishnan’s crucial role in their shared discovery. We also cover his decades-long dispute with physicist Max Born over lattice dynamics.
• Political Friction: From smashing a bust of Prime Minister Nehru to rejecting government funding to maintain independence, Raman was as volatile as he was brilliant.
From his studies on the acoustics of the tabla and mridangam to the National Science Day celebrated in his honor, this is the complex story of a man who believed the "Nobel Prize must be won" and made sure it happened.