Indian Scientists & Their Contributions: CV Raman, Bose, Kalam, Bhabha, Sarabhai

Indian scientists and their contributions are heavily tested in Kerala PSC exams. Questions focus on discoveries, titles, institutions founded, and awards. This note covers major Indian scientists with exam-ready tables.

1. C.V. Raman (Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman)

Fact	Detail
Born	7 November 1888, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu
Died	21 November 1970
Discovery	Raman Effect (inelastic scattering of light) — 28 February 1928
Nobel Prize	Physics, 1930 — first Asian to win Nobel Prize in Science
National Science Day	28 February (date of Raman Effect discovery)
Bharat Ratna	1954
Institutions	Indian Association for Cultivation of Science (Kolkata); Raman Research Institute (Bangalore)
Key contribution	Proved that scattered light changes wavelength — Raman Scattering
Journal	Founded Indian Journal of Physics

2. Jagadish Chandra Bose

Fact	Detail
Born	30 November 1858, Mymensingh (now Bangladesh)
Died	23 November 1937
Fields	Physics, Biology, Botany
Key contributions	Pioneered research on radio and microwave optics; demonstrated wireless transmission before Marconi
Crescograph	Invented the crescograph to measure plant growth
Proved	Plants have feelings/response to stimuli (electrical signals in plants)
Bose Institute	Founded in Kolkata (1917) — one of the oldest research institutes in India
Pioneer	Considered a pioneer of wireless communication (demonstrated in 1895)

3. APJ Abdul Kalam (Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam)

Fact	Detail
Born	15 October 1931, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu
Died	27 July 2015
Title	”Missile Man of India”
President of India	11th President (2002-2007)
Key role	Project Director, SLV-3 (India’s first satellite launch vehicle); led Agni and Prithvi missile programmes
DRDO	Served as Chief Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister
Pokhran-II	Key role in India’s 1998 nuclear tests
Book	”Wings of Fire” (autobiography)
Bharat Ratna	1997
World Students’ Day	15 October (his birthday)

4. Homi Jehangir Bhabha

Fact	Detail
Born	30 October 1909, Mumbai
Died	24 January 1966 (plane crash near Mont Blanc)
Title	”Father of Indian Nuclear Programme”
Founded	Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), 1945 — Mumbai
Founded	Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay (later renamed Bhabha Atomic Research Centre — BARC)
Key role	First Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission of India (1948)
Bhabha Scattering	Theoretical work on electron-positron scattering
Three-stage nuclear programme	Proposed India’s three-stage nuclear power programme
Vision	Peaceful use of nuclear energy for India’s development

5. Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai

Fact	Detail
Born	12 August 1919, Ahmedabad
Died	30 December 1971
Title	”Father of Indian Space Programme”
Founded	Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad (1947)
Key role	Founded ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) — established 1969
Thumba	Established Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in Kerala (1963)
First rocket	India’s first sounding rocket launched from Thumba, 21 November 1963
IIM Ahmedabad	Co-founder of IIM Ahmedabad (1961)
Vikram Lander	Chandrayaan-2 lander named after him
Padma Bhushan	1966; Padma Vibhushan (posthumous) 1972

6. Other Major Indian Scientists

Scientist	Field	Key Contribution
Srinivasa Ramanujan	Mathematics	3,900+ mathematical results; Hardy-Ramanujan number (1729); Ramanujan prime; National Mathematics Day: 22 December
Meghnad Saha	Astrophysics	Saha Ionisation Equation (thermal ionisation); explained stellar spectra
S.N. Bose (Satyendra Nath Bose)	Physics	Bose-Einstein Statistics; Bose-Einstein Condensate; “Boson” particle named after him
Hargobind Khorana	Biochemistry	Nobel Prize in Medicine (1968); interpretation of genetic code and its function in protein synthesis
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar	Astrophysics	Nobel Prize in Physics (1983); Chandrasekhar Limit (maximum mass of white dwarf star — 1.4 solar masses)
Venkatraman Ramakrishnan	Chemistry	Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2009); structure of ribosome
M. Visvesvaraya	Engineering	Engineer’s Day (15 September); Bharat Ratna 1955; designed Krishna Raja Sagara Dam
Birbal Sahni	Palaeobotany	Father of Indian Palaeobotany; founded Birbal Sahni Institute, Lucknow
Salim Ali	Ornithology	”Birdman of India”; Book of Indian Birds
Prafulla Chandra Ray	Chemistry	Father of Indian Chemical Science; founded Bengal Chemicals (first Indian pharmaceutical company)
Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis	Statistics	Mahalanobis Distance; founded Indian Statistical Institute; National Statistics Day: 29 June
Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar	Chemistry	Founded CSIR labs; Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Prize for science

7. Indian Nobel Prize Winners in Science

Scientist	Prize	Year	For
C.V. Raman	Physics	1930	Raman Effect (scattering of light)
Hargobind Khorana	Medicine	1968	Genetic code interpretation (born in undivided India, US citizen)
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar	Physics	1983	Chandrasekhar Limit (born India, US citizen)
Venkatraman Ramakrishnan	Chemistry	2009	Ribosome structure (born India, US/UK citizen)

8. Important National Days Related to Scientists

Day	Date	Celebrates
National Science Day	28 February	Discovery of Raman Effect (1928)
National Technology Day	11 May	Pokhran-II nuclear tests (1998)
National Mathematics Day	22 December	Birthday of Srinivasa Ramanujan
Engineer’s Day	15 September	Birthday of M. Visvesvaraya
National Statistics Day	29 June	Birthday of P.C. Mahalanobis
World Students’ Day	15 October	Birthday of APJ Abdul Kalam
National Space Day	23 August	Chandrayaan-3 landing (2023)

9. Key Research Institutions Founded by Indian Scientists

Institution	Founded By	Year	Location
Bose Institute	J.C. Bose	1917	Kolkata
TIFR	Homi Bhabha	1945	Mumbai
Physical Research Laboratory	Vikram Sarabhai	1947	Ahmedabad
Raman Research Institute	C.V. Raman	1948	Bangalore
Indian Statistical Institute	P.C. Mahalanobis	1931	Kolkata
Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics	Meghnad Saha	1950	Kolkata

10. PSC Quick Revision — One-Liners

• C.V. Raman: Nobel Prize 1930, Raman Effect, National Science Day = 28 February
• J.C. Bose: Crescograph, plant responses, pioneer of wireless communication
• APJ Abdul Kalam: “Missile Man of India”, 11th President, SLV-3, Bharat Ratna 1997
• Homi Bhabha: “Father of Indian Nuclear Programme”, founded TIFR and BARC
• Vikram Sarabhai: “Father of Indian Space Programme”, founded ISRO, PRL
• Ramanujan: 1729 = Hardy-Ramanujan number; National Mathematics Day = 22 December
• S.N. Bose: Bose-Einstein Statistics; “Boson” named after him
• Chandrasekhar Limit = 1.4 solar masses (max mass of white dwarf)
• M. Visvesvaraya: Engineer’s Day = 15 September; Bharat Ratna 1955
• India’s first sounding rocket launched from Thumba, Kerala (21 November 1963)