The late Sir C.Y. Raman (1888-1970), who received
the Nobel Prize for physics in 1928, achieved
international repute and is still the most famous
name in the field of Indian science. His discovery,
known as the Raman effect, is one of the established
pieces of scientific information which is useful in
the study of molecular energy levels.
Born in an ordinary family, (his father was a school
teacher drawing a monthly salary of Rs. 10), Raman
had to work hard in difficult circumstances to make
his way to the top. This is how he described his
journey to success—”A long history of frustration,
disappointment, struggle and every kind of
tribulation.”
All great men have their detractors, and one of
them, wishing to underrate his academic success,
commented that his famous discovery had been a
mere accident, as in the case of many other
scientists who had discovered important things just
by chance. On hearing this, Raman displayed no
annoyance but replied quite seriously that “the idea
that a scientific discovery can be made by accident,
is ruled out by the fact that the accident, if it is one,
never occurs except to the right man.”
Dr. Raman summed up the process of discovery in
these words: “The right man, right thinking, right
instruments and right results.” (The Hindustan
Times, January 17, 1987)
Ref - The Moral Vision
- by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
