Sivaramakrishna Chandrasekhar
Who was Sivaramakrishna Chandrasekhar?
Indian physicist (1930-2004)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Sivaramakrishna Chandrasekhar (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Sivaramakrishna Chandrasekhar (6 August 1930 – 8 March 2004) was an Indian physicist known internationally for his work on liquid crystals, making him one of the leading scientists of the twentieth century. Born in Kolkata, he was the son of Sivaramakrishnan and Sitalaxmi, who was the sister of C. V. Raman, a Nobel laureate. This connection influenced his early research direction. He passed away in Bengaluru on 8 March 2004.
Chandrasekhar earned his MSc in physics with top honors from Nagpur University in 1951 and then joined the Raman Research Institute in Bangalore, pursuing a doctoral degree under his uncle, C. V. Raman. His doctoral studies involved optical rotatory dispersion measurements on crystals, and he received a DSc degree from Nagpur University in 1954. He later went to the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge on an 1851 Exhibition Scholarship, earning a second doctorate for researching corrections for extinction in neutron and X-ray scattering from crystals. His postdoctoral work at University College London and the Royal Institution expanded his expertise in crystallography.
When he returned to India in 1961, Chandrasekhar became the first Head of the Department of Physics at the University of Mysore, which had just been set up. During this time, he focused on liquid crystals, an area that was starting to gain attention again after years of being overlooked. His choice to concentrate on liquid crystals was significant. He helped establish this field as a serious area of study, and his 1977 monograph on liquid crystals became a widely used reference work globally.
Chandrasekhar later worked at the Raman Research Institute in Bangalore, continuing his research into the properties of liquid crystalline materials. He was elected the first president of the International Liquid Crystal Society, highlighting his contributions to the global liquid crystal research community. His work included the study of the structural, optical, and thermodynamic properties of liquid crystals, and he discovered and characterized new liquid crystalline phases.
Throughout his career, Chandrasekhar received many awards for his scientific achievements. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society and received the Royal Medal in 1994. He also won the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology in 1972, the Eringen Medal in 1996, and the Padma Bhushan in 1998. He was honored by France with the Knight of the Order of Academic Palms in 1999 and became a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS).
Before Fame
Sivaramakrishna Chandrasekhar grew up in a family closely connected to one of India's most famous scientists. His mother was the sister of C. V. Raman, who won the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery of the Raman effect, which brought a lot of prestige to Indian science. This upbringing naturally led him to an interest in physics from a young age. Chandrasekhar did very well academically, graduating at the top of his class in physics from Nagpur University in 1951.
His rise started when he joined the Raman Research Institute to work under his uncle, where he got thorough training in experimental physics. Winning an 1851 Exhibition Scholarship, a prestigious British fellowship for supporting scientists, allowed him to work at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge, where he earned another doctorate. These early experiences gave him a wide foundation in crystallography, optics, and scattering physics before he found his main interest in liquid crystals during the early 1960s.
Key Achievements
- Pioneered research into the physical properties of liquid crystals and helped establish the field as a major area of condensed matter physics in India and internationally.
- Elected Fellow of the Royal Society and awarded the Royal Medal in 1994 for his contributions to physics.
- Served as founder-president of the International Liquid Crystal Society.
- Authored an influential monograph on liquid crystals that became a standard reference for researchers in the field.
- Received the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology in 1972 and the Padma Bhushan in 1998.
Did You Know?
- 01.Chandrasekhar earned two separate doctoral degrees: one from Nagpur University in 1954 under C. V. Raman, and a second from the University of Cambridge for work on neutron and X-ray scattering from crystals.
- 02.He was the nephew of C. V. Raman, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist who discovered the Raman effect, and conducted his first doctoral research directly under Raman's supervision.
- 03.Chandrasekhar's 1977 book on liquid crystals became a widely used reference text in the field and helped introduce liquid crystal science to researchers around the world.
- 04.He was the founder-president of the International Liquid Crystal Society, helping to organize and give institutional form to the global community of researchers working in this area.
- 05.France awarded him the Knight of the Order of Academic Palms in 1999, a distinction given to those who have made significant contributions to French or international education and culture.
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Fellow of the Royal Society | — | — |
| Royal Medal | 1994 | — |
| Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology | 1972 | — |
| TWAS fellow | — | — |
| Padma Bhushan in science & engineering | 1998 | — |
| Eringen Medal | 1996 | — |
| Knight of the French Order of Academic Palms | 1999 | — |