C. N. R. Rao Quotes (40 quotes) | Quotes of famous people

[R. A. Mashelkar, Solid State Chemistry: Selected Papers of C N R Rao, http://books.google.com/books?id=8ZSfo_HUk7oC&pg=PA4, 28 February 1995, World Scientific, 978-981-279-589-2, 4]

“You give attention to army, police and things like that. Who pays attention to science? When I got the Dan David prize, which is similar to Nobel and given once in a few years by Israel, nobody talked about it. Nobody asked me anything about it. Nobody even knows and nobody understands it. It is so prestigious in the world of science but why didn’t anyone write about it?”

C. N. R. Rao

Scientist wonders why nobody asks him about Dan David prize (2013)

“The Berekley campus was academically overpowering. In the Tuesday evening colloquia, one would see a galaxy of chemists in the front row, with many Nobel Laureates and members of the National Academy of Science amongst them. It was a daunting task to give talks at these meetings. I managed to survive those occasions.”

C. N. R. Rao

Source: Climbing the Limitless Ladder: A Life in Chemistry (2010), p. 37

“I feel basic science is getting its due now. I used to say earlier that Dr Homi Bhabha should get this honour and also some other eminent researchers. Scientists work very, very had but rarely get recognition. I have been working for 62 years. I was 17 when I started my research. I am going to be 80 soon.”

C. N. R. Rao

Quoted in CNR Rao: Bharat finds a jewel in science, 17 November 2013, 22 December 2013, Deccan Chronicle http://www.deccanchronicle.com/131117/news-current-affairs/article/cnr-rao-bharat-finds-jewel-science,

“We created CNR Rao Education Foundation from a part of the million-dollar Dan David Award from Tel Aviv University, Israel, because if the youth don't catch on to science at a young age, we will lose whatever science and technology advantage we have now. My wife, Indumati has been leading the work of this foundation along with members of the family. We want to see India emerge as a scientific giant.”

C. N. R. Rao

How I made it: CNR Rao, Scientist (2010)

C. N. R. Rao Quotes

“Those days, poor teachers and poor policemen alone would have maximum children. But my father believed in a sort of family planning. He was known as family planning teacher then.”

C. N. R. Rao

Scientist wonders why nobody asks him about Dan David prize (2013)

Children , Family , Teachers

“Substances can exist in three states – gas, liquid and solid. Water exists in all three states: gas (steam or water vapour), liquid (ordinary water) and solid (ice}. Properties of gases, liquids and solids are different.”

C. N. R. Rao

Source: Understanding Chemistry (1999), p. 56

Water

“I am also working on materials never worked on in the world, completely new type of materials on the planet. I am worried not so much for myself, I will go on working. But I am worried for others.”

C. N. R. Rao

Scientist wonders why nobody asks him about Dan David prize (2013)

World

“Always gain fresh insights, don't hesitate to ask the right questions.”

C. N. R. Rao

How I made it: CNR Rao, Scientist (2010)

Question

“Also, we need to give importance to value systems to promote innovation. We need to develop an ecosystem of innovation and technology will arrive soon. Of the 140 nations rated for innovation, India stood at a lowly 66. We need new ways of doing things and new ways of thinking. We cannot be doing the same things. Jugaad (a temporary solution) is one of them. The atmosphere itself should encourage innovation.”

C. N. R. Rao

Quoted in "We need to have an instinct for self-preservation: C N R Rao".

Way , Thinking

“The Maharaja of Mysore (then Governor of Mysore), ayachamarajendra Wodeyar, visited Berkeley for a day. I took him around. He was really impressed when he saw the accelerators in the Radiation Laboratory on the hill. He was happy to speak to me in Kannada and even more happy that I knew a little Sanskrit.”

C. N. R. Rao

Source: Climbing the Limitless Ladder: A Life in Chemistry (2010), p. 35

Happiness

“We couldn’t afford many things, but we had education. My father was a headmaster and later became an education officer. My mother was fantastic: she always told me, ‘Do what you want.’ She gave me total freedom, in fact both my parents did. But I really owe it to my mother. When I said I will go to Banaras (Varanasi) to study, she said, ‘You want to go to Banaras? Ok, go.’ She would say, ‘Don’t worry about money, reading is most important, read and then everything will come.’ My family was very open. Thanks to them I’m what I am today. I am the only child of my parents, so is my wife.”

C. N. R. Rao

Scientist wonders why nobody asks him about Dan David prize (2013)

Money , Education , Family , Parent

“Music for me is therapeutic.”

C. N. R. Rao

Quoted in We need to have an instinct for self-preservation: C N R Rao, 30 November 2013, 22 December 2013, Business Standard http://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/we-need-to-have-an-instinct-for-self-preservation-c-n-r-rao-113113000358_1.html,

Music

“Pursue your dreams with passion, hard work and dedication.”

C. N. R. Rao

How I made it: CNR Rao, Scientist (2010)

Dreams , Passion

“Nanoparticles constitute a major class of nanomaterials. Nanoparticles are zero-dimensional, possessing nonmetric dimensions in all three dimensions.”

C. N. R. Rao

Rao in

“There are some CNR clones. Prof D D Sharma in chemistry, Prof Ajay Sood in Physics are doing good work. Let’s see many more may come from the younger lot.”

C. N. R. Rao

Scientist wonders why nobody asks him about Dan David prize (2013)

“Since there was no infrared spectrometer, I managed to record routine infrared spectra of certain compounds here and there, in order to categorize group frequencies. One of these papers became a citation classic.”

C. N. R. Rao

About his initial years of his work in Indian Institute of science after his return from USA, p. 40
Climbing the Limitless Ladder: A Life in Chemistry (2010)

“Observe leaders closely, learn as much as you can from their leadership styles.”

C. N. R. Rao

How I made it: CNR Rao, Scientist (2010)

Learning

“Atoms were originally proposed as an idea. Although their presence was proved by various means, people did not think that they could see them directly. This was so until recently. We are now able to directly see atoms by employing powerful microscopic techniques.”

C. N. R. Rao

Source: Understanding Chemistry (1999), p. 22

People , Idea , Thinking

“The only part of the early concept of the elements that has survived is that elements have distinctive properties.”

C. N. R. Rao

Source: Understanding Chemistry (1999), p. 8

Parting

“Man’s search for metals goes back to prehistoric times. Metals have been used for several thousands of years in India. Certain periods in history are associated with specific periods used extensively during that period”

C. N. R. Rao

Source: Understanding Chemistry (1999), p. 28

History , Search , Time

“Even metals offer some resistance for the passage of electricity. Some materials conduct electricity without any resistance. Such materials are called superconductors.”

C. N. R. Rao

Source: Understanding Chemistry (1999), p. 59

“Fifty years is a very long period. The first 30–35 years – we could call this period as one when India equipped itself to face important problems. For example, we built institutions such as the IITs and the National Laboratories…We need much better infrastructure facilities and we must work on more difficult problems. Unfortunately, we have been used to working on problems that are somewhat repetitive. If we want to be at the cutting edge, we have to be innovators and originators.”

C. N. R. Rao

Quoted in pdf, In Conversation, 22 December 2013, Indian Institute of Science http://www.iisc.ernet.in/currsci/apr102002/788.pdf,

Problem

“I feel the Indian industry should contribute to help the government towards scientific research. The government alone can't do it. As of now, there's nothing. I have been into research for about 40 years. In the US, 50 to 60 per cent of the research and development (R&D) cost would be covered by the industry. There is a need for the same here and the industry needs to do it. Earlier, the industry in India didn't feel the need to do research. They could sell anything. Now, it wants to compete with the likes of South Korea and Japan, but they can't. We need to change this or the industry can't compete.”

C. N. R. Rao

Quoted in "We need to have an instinct for self-preservation: C N R Rao".

Feeling , Change , Help

“Philosophers of ancient Greece and India sought an answer to this question [What is matter made of] centuries before Christ.”

C. N. R. Rao

Source: Understanding Chemistry (1999), p. 7

Question , Christ

“Build a strong base. The journey to peaks of excellence requires a strong base camp.”

C. N. R. Rao

How I made it: CNR Rao, Scientist (2010)

Strong

“My hero is Nobel Laureate Neville Mott who published four papers at the age of 92 when he died.”

C. N. R. Rao

After his getting the August-Wilhelm-von-Hofmann Medal for chemistry quoted in Need young scientists to lead: C N R Rao, 11 January 2011, 22 December 2013, Nature Publishing Group http://www.nature.com/nindia/2010/100111/full/nindia.2009.365.html,

Age

“Our society has created a bunch of icons and role models who are distorting not just the future of this city [Bangalore] but of all India, and of our sense of values. Our people have lost respect for scholarship. Money and commerce has taken over. If IT is going to take away our basic values, then you can burn Bangalore and burn IT.”

C. N. R. Rao

Quoted in CNR Rao, a high priest of pure science gets Bharat Ratna, 12 November 2012, 22 December 2013, IBN Live http://ibnlive.in.com/news/world-renowned-scientist-cnr-rao-gets-bharat-ratna/434510-3.html,

Money , People , Sense , Future

“Among scientists, I am the second to get it [Bharat Ratna], after C. V. Raman. M. Visveswariah was an engineer, not a scientist. In that sense I am the second scientist to get it. I am happy that Kannadigas are also getting the award. My parents would always tell me to learn Kannada well in my younger days so I could be good both in Kannada and English. Learn to read and write Kannada, then you can learn English and enjoy both languages.”

C. N. R. Rao

Scientist wonders why nobody asks him about Dan David prize (2013)

Parent , Sense , Learning , Reading

“The famous iron pillar in Delhi, erected in the Gupta period (over 1500 years ago), is a marvel. After all these years this pillar stands erect without deterioration. This rustless iron pillar is a tribute to the great ingenuity of our forefathers.”

C. N. R. Rao

Source: Understanding Chemistry (1999), p. 36