Dr. C. V. Raman: Part 3

At that time Burma and India were under a single government. In 1909, Raman was

transferred to. Rangoon, the capital of Burma. When Chandrasekhara Ayyar passed away in 1910, Raman came to Madras on six months' leave.

 

After completing the last rites, Raman spent the rest of his leave period doing research in the Madras University laboratories.

 

The Science College of Calcutta University was started in 1915.

 

There a chair for Physics was established in memory of Taraknath Palit, a generous

man. Raman was appointed Professor. He sacrificed the powerful post in the government, which brought a good salary.

 

The Indian Science Congress was started in 1913. Its aim was to bring together scientists engaged in research; theyshould meet and exchange ideas. Its first session was held in 1914. Asuthosh Mukherjee was the President. Raman was the President of the Physics section. Later he worked for many years as the Secretary of the Science Congress. He presided over its annual sessions in 1929 and 1948.

 

In 1917, at the age of 29, Raman became the Palit Professor. He continued research along with the new assignment.

 

Raman was very deeply interested in musical instruments such as the Veena, the Violin,the Mridangam and the Tabala. He began to work on them. Around 1918 he explained the complex vibrations of the strings of musical instruments. He later found out the characteristic tones emitted by the Mridangam, the Tabala etc.

 

Amritlal Sircar, who was devoting all his time to the welfare of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, passed away in 1919. Professor Raman became its Honarary Secretary. Two laboratories - those of the College and of the Association - were under him; and this gave a new stimulus to his researches. Both his body and his mind could do all the work that had to be done. Many students came to him from different parts of the country for post-graduate studies and research. 210, Bow Bazaar Street and the University Science College Laboratory - these became the active research centers of India. Research workers like Meghnad Saha and S.K. Mitra, who became famous later, worked at these centres.