About National Science Day 2026:
- It is celebrated every year on February 28 to mark the contributions of scientists towards the development of the country.
- It commemorates the discovery of the Raman Effect by the Indian physicist, Dr. Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, on the same day in the year 1928.
- For this discovery, he was also awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930.
- In 1986, the Government of India declared 28 February as National Science Day.
- The first National Science Day was celebrated in 1987, and since then, it is observed every year with a special theme.
- National Science Day 2026 Theme: "Women in Science: Catalysing Viksit Bharat".
- On this day, schools, colleges, coaching institutes, and research organisations across the country will come together to honour scientists, inspire students, and promote a scientific way of thinking.
What is the Raman Effect?
- It is the change in the wavelength of light that occurs when a light beam is deflected by molecules.
- When a beam of light traverses a dust-free, transparent sample of a chemical compound, a small fraction of the light emerges in directions other than that of the incident (incoming) beam.
- Most of this scattered light is of unchanged wavelength.
- A small part, however, has wavelengths different from that of the incident light; its presence is a result of the Raman effect.
- The effect demonstrated that light can be scattered, carrying valuable information about molecular vibrations.
- The phenomenon is named for Indian physicist Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, who first published observations of the effect in 1928.
- Ever since the discovery, this discovery has become an important tool in medicine, chemistry, physics, and material composition and properties.
