Today is National Science Day 2019. Every year since 1987, on the 28th of February, India observes the day to commemorate the day scientist C.V Raman’s discovered the inelastic scattering of a photon. The effect came to be known as the Raman Effect, for which the legendary scientist won a Nobel. The Indian-educated scientist discovered that when light traverses a transparent medium, some of it changes its wavelength and size. The phenomenon came to be known as Raman Scattering. In 1954, Raman was also conferred with the highest civilian award for his contributions to India and the field of science – the Bharat Ratna. The theme for National Science Day 2019 is “Science for the People and the People for Science.”

Who was CV Raman?

Born on November 7, 1888, Sir Chandrashekhara Venkata Raman was a Tamil physicist born to a Tamil Brahmin household. He got his Masters of Sciences degree from the University of Madras, after which he was appointed the first Palit Professor of Physics at the University of Calcutta.

On February 28, 1928, Rama along with his colleague KS Krishnan led an experiment on the scattering of light, this led to the discovery of the Raman Effect. National Science Day 2018: The Theme For This Year Is "Science and Technology For a Sustainable Future".

The discovery was critical to the study of light, since it proved that the quantum nature of light.

Why is National Science Day Important?

Science has vastly improved our lives by extending our lifespans, increasing our comforts and dispelling ignorance. Had it not been for the scientific temper of a few, we would have still been trapped in the dark ages. With a view to celebrate the role of science, the Indian government, under the suggestion of the National Council for Science and Technology, observed National Science Day on February 28 every year. M Modi Salutes 'Science Lovers', Says Scientists Are Making India Proud.

The iconic date chosen for the day was befitting since it was when Raman made the nation proud with his discovery. The objective was to bring about awareness and knowledge about the role of science in everyday lives.

The event celebrated in educational institutions all over the country. The National Science Popularization awards are given out by the NCSTC to reward the best scientific minds and efforts.

What Does the Theme “Science for the People and the People for Science” Mean?

There’s no doubt that we owe a lot to science. Be it vaccines or cellular technology, scientific advancements In the last couple of centuries have transformed our lives by leaps and bounds. Obviously, science is for people. What we need now is people of science. By increasing awareness about pursuing scientific studies and incorporating scientific temper in our everyday lives, we need people for science.

Despite all our advancements, blind faith and ignorance still reign supreme in many parts of the country. And in the age of social media, the spread of misinformation can become an impediment in a country's growth.  We need more minds like that of CV Raman to take our country to great heights. That's why, more people for science in today's day and age.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 28, 2019 11:18 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).