National Science Day 2025

Important Facts for Prelims

National Science Day 2025

Why is it in the news?

India observes National Science Day (NSD) on February 28 each year to commemorate Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata (CV) Raman's discovery of the Raman Effect in 1928.

The theme for 2025, "Empowering Indian Youth for Global Leadership in Science and Innovation for Viksit Bharat," underscores the importance of scientific innovation and youth leadership, in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Note: The Government of India designated February 28 as National Science Day in 1986, and the first celebration took place in 1987.

Key Facts about CV Raman

• Early Life: CV Raman was born on November 7, 1888, in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu. He earned his M.A. in Physics from Presidency College, Madras, and made substantial contributions to atomic physics and optics.
• Research and Contributions: He founded the Raman Research Institute (1948), the Indian Journal of Physics (1926), and the Indian Academy of Sciences (1934). His research covered optics, light scattering, X-rays, acoustics, and the colors of the sea, leading to the discovery of the Raman Effect.
• Honors and Recognition: CV Raman was knighted in 1929 by the British government and received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 for the Raman Effect, becoming the first Asian to win a Nobel Prize in science. He was also awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1954, India's highest civilian honor.

The Raman Effect
The Raman Effect describes the phenomenon where incident light interacts with a sample, resulting in a shift in wavelength and producing scattered light due to molecular vibrations, known as Raman scattering.

Applications of the Raman Effect:

• It is the foundation of Raman Spectroscopy, a technique used to analyze molecular vibrations and study material properties.
• The invention of lasers in the 1960s expanded the applications of the Raman Effect, allowing for non-destructive chemical analysis of substances.
• It is also applied in forensic science to detect drugs in sealed evidence bags and in nuclear waste analysis using fiber-optic probes.

India's Advancements in Science and Technology (2024)

• Innovation and IP: India ranked 39th in the Global Innovation Index 2024 and 6th in global Intellectual Property (IP) filings according to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) 2024 report.
• Network Readiness Index: India’s ranking improved to 49th from 79th in 2019, highlighting significant progress in ICT and digital transformation.
• Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF): Launched under the ANRF Act 2023, this initiative strengthens India’s R&D ecosystem with programs such as promoting electric vehicles (EVs).
• National Quantum Mission (NQM): This mission aims to position India as a leader in quantum computing, communication, sensing, and materials.
• National Supercomputing Mission (NSM): Under NSM, 33 supercomputers with a combined capacity of 32 petaflops have been deployed, with plans to increase capacity to 77 petaflops using indigenous technology.
• Artificial Intelligence: The BharatGen initiative is developing India’s first multimodal, multilingual Large Language Model (LLM) for Generative AI (GenAI).
• Geospatial Science: The adoption of geospatial technology has increased through the Spatial Thinking Programs in schools, reaching 116 schools across seven states.
• Climate Research: India has enhanced its climate resilience by launching four Centres of Excellence for flood and drought risk mapping, improving disaster preparedness and adaptation strategies

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