National science day of India- 28th Feb

Since 1986 to commemorate and honor the work of great Indian physicist Bharat Ratna Prof. C.V. Raman, National council for science and technology communication (NCSTC) has designated 28th Feb as National science day of India. He was awarded Noble prize in 1930 for his work.

National Science Day is being celebrated to appreciate the significance of scientific applications in our daily life, to appreciate efforts and achievements in the field of science for human welfare. To encourage the people as well as popularize the Science and Technology.

Last century has seen tremendous growth from fundamental science to applicative technologies globally. But this growth is not possible without the efforts and works of thousands of famous, not so famous, and many more oblivious scientists who unearthed the basic principles of science.

Consider an example of LED. We are surrounded by LED based devices everywhere. Each year new technologies are filtering in our living spaces using LED. Very efficient LED lights, LED TVs, LED based mobile devices and so on. In future Wi-Fi will be supplemented by Li-Fi, we will have our own health monitoring systems placed at our homes using LED based structures and who knows what new applications will emerge! But when you look at the working principle of LED, one can see the simple and beautiful effect at the core. Some materials create light when exposed to electricity (this is exactly similar but opposite to solar cell effect). A simple scientific principle on the surface often has a deep scientific meaning underneath as well as deep technological implications. It is based on life-long works of several scientists to arrive to such simple-on-surface effects.

Raman spectroscopy the direct implication of Prof. Raman’s work is bit more complex to understand for a lay person. But his work has contributed fundamentally to molecular structure determination, chemical analysis, electronics. Which has directly or indirectly contributed to every field of modern times pharmaceutical, paints, electronics, space exploration and so on.

Technologies would change, evolve, be replaced by efficient and more valuable ones in future. Growth of any nation or rather global society is dependent upon discovery and implementation of new scientific principles. But this is impossible without passionate young minds who will pursue and endeavor in science. Just like ‘Ran Chod Das’ the popular character played by Amir Khan in the movie called Three idiots :))

Celebrating national science day is a reminder for us to instill, kindle, support the passionate pursuit of science in our children as well as ourselves. That is a real tribute to India’s first Noble Physicist Sir C.V. Raman.