Subramanyan Chandrasekhar - an Astrophysicist Par Excellence

Somebody should write on Satyendra Nath Bose, after all he wasn`t too common either and did work at a time when Asians were still not considered in the top rank.

Harish,

Thank u very much. People on Chowk shud know abt that genius.

Amazing V.N.Singh ...an Indian professor Nash, of sorts :(

#36

I like his last name!

#28 by VRV

Who is the Bihari guy who was a mathematical genius but became a mad man? I forgot his name. Though he remained his mathematical talents he lives the life of penury and keeps away from the society?

Yaar VRV, the guy you`re looking for is Vashisht Narayan Singh. I could only remember his first name but Google did the rest.

Here`s some more on him from Wiki.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vashist_Narayan_Singh

BJ,

I like ur lingo and wit. Great!

#33 VRV

Yaar, if he is dead then I am glad he is not me!

Let the Gilster try to answer this one - he has been absconding like a chicken of a dog from his own board!

I hope he did not get hauled away for casting aspersions on my favorite GWB, or something!

Perhaps GWB got up one fine morning and decided that the Gilster had taken one swipe too many on him!!

So then GWB, perhaps said - ``That`s it! Throw the Gilster into the slammer, and feed the key to the dog!``

And Mushy, who had stayed up after dinner - dutifully consumed it!

BJ,

I am serious. He may be dead by now.

It`s not u btw.:-)

#30 by aslam644

[…an irish technology firm, that they’ve discovered free and limitless energy.]

The way I understand it, they are currently looking for investors – in this sure to succeed line of business. The wave of the future!

So they want some investors.

Not the average joker investor in the street – like the ``deep pocket`` Kapurias of the world, mind you, but the discriminating type. The investor who has a sense of adventure!

The risk takers – preferably Pakistani!

In other words, someone just like you!

Kindly send your million dollar check to BJ Kumar! Do it RIGHT NOW!!! Before anybody from the ignorant chowk masses instills any doubts!

Send the check and I will take it from there.

#28 VRV

Maybe you are talking about me. Be nice, now!

mr gill
what are your views on the claim by an irish technology firm, that they,ve discovered free and limitless energy. my knowledge of physics is limited nothing beyond o`level.

VRV -- just kidding -- Buddha was Bihar`s greatest contribution to the wild wild world of yore -- that civilizied Japan Korea China and others. Bihar also prevented the conquest of whole India by Alexander -- had it not been for the super power of Maghda kingdom of Guptas.

Considering Lalu and looking at Punjab -- I don`t know if it was necessarily a good thing -- Greeks could have improved the gene pool of Bihar as well -- but anyway Lalu has redeemed Vihara in the railways....

Kamat you can say that Indian contribution is Zero -- but what a Zero..!

In the same vein you can say that the concept of `Fraction` with the decimal point before the ONE could only come from a frationated caste ridden society of Bihar and UP -- but then again what a Fraction.......!

Re: # 25

BJ,

Who is the Bihari guy who was a mathematical genius but became a mad man? I forgot his name. Though he remained his mathematical talents he lives the life of penury and keeps away from the society?

Btw, thanks for ur help on UP.

Re: # 24

Hasan,

I think I am right abt ur name.

I knew a very few people by their true colours on Chowk. I came to know abt you recently and I find ur interests to be very closer to mine.

Btw, I am in quest for truth. I think abt this question at all time. Billions b4 me cudnt find the truth, billions after us cudnt but we keep trying and that gives me deeper understanding of ourselves.

As for Buddha, I take ur comment in lighter vein.

The truth is that all great people were smirked at by their own people. Take Jesus, Mohammed, Socrates, Galileo, Plato and even Buddha is no exception.

Jesus comments once that a prophet cant get true recognition in his own land/people (sic). Ditto prophet Mohammed. Socrates cant along with his own wife, though he gave a lot of philosophy for the world and finally he had to take hemlock (tastes well but kills instantaneously). Galileo story we know.

Buddhism is not a religion but who cares! He`s worshipped as a god.

:-)

Re: # 25

To bjkumar:

Babuji: I am told that Indian`s contribution to science and mathematics is ZERO.

Do you agree?

Kamath

#23

[only an Indian Chandra could come up with the concept like ``Black Hole`` -- that swallows time and space as well -- an stuff of Indian myth-making -- that also gave the world the nothingness as thingness of a Zero.....!]

Yaar, you realize that this wholesale generalization of a people is totally off the mark!

Are you trying to kill Indians with kindness?!! (And if you are Indian, are you patting yourself on the back?)

Or are you in a sneaky way, trying to tell us that Indians are good for ``nothing``?!!!

``Lalu was a tragedy when he`s the CM BUT as Railway Minister he`s a superhit. I hope Lalu keeps away from Bihar forever:)

VRV -- you might as well say the same about Buddha -- Buddha was a tragedy when he was prince Siddhartha of Lumbini BUT as Buddhist Minister he was a superhit.

....now you don`t want Buddha to keep away from Vihara forever:)

Chandrasekhar was was not one of the greatest -- he was indeed the greatest -- only an Indian Chandra could come up with the concept like ``Black Hole`` -- that swallows time and space as well -- an stuff of Indian myth-making -- that also gave the world the nothingness as thingness of a Zero.....!

great piece Dr. Gill.

Re: # 16

Kamath,

>>>One should have sense of humour to survive! <<<<

I agree to this. I guess u guys wrote ur posts with no intention to be malicious.

>>>BTW Gautama Buddha was born in Lumbini in present day Nepal. So Nepalis have a claim on him first and possibly a `Gurkha` !!!! <<<

Nepal and Bihar are border regions. In the days of Buddha, these borders are not as they are now. Moreover all the Buddhist monuments were in Bihar and Buddha got his enlightenment in Bihar. Infact Bihar is a variant of Vihara i.e. country of Buddhist monastaries. Pl dont forget Nalanda, the famous ancient Budhist University, where people of faroff lands came to study.

Dear Kamath, not all Nepalese are Gurkhas.

>>>Nowadays Railwayminister Lallu has really taken over Emperor Ashoka! <<<

Lalu was a tragedy when he`s the CM BUT as Railway Minister he`s a superhit. I hope Lalu keeps away from Bihar forever:)

If my post has offended u in any way. I am sorry. I apologise.

Ref bjkumar #17

[It is perhaps beyond recovery – at least at some point in time in future when I get to sample some delicious South Indian food cooked by a South Indian lady.

Of which my own sister-in-law is one – and much more so than present day pretenders like old Harry Moe could ever aspire to be!]

Harimau does NOT aspire to be a South Indian lady.

He revels in the fact that he is a male chauvinist.

In fact, he goes beyond that and holds all people who are not TamBrahms to be creatures worthy of his compassion and pity.

Ref soysauce #15

[#3 Bihar has produced some well-known mathematicians... ]

You might want to say Madhya Pradesh rather than Bihar.

After all, the Chennai Mathematical Institute in Chennai, Tamil Nadu is affiliated to Bhog University in Madhya Pradesh so they can avoid the inevitable political pressures that would be brought to bear to award degrees to unqualified persons solely on the basis that they have names like Tamil Arasan or Tamil Ars@#le and are related to Doctor Artist Leader Chief Minister the Fund of Compassion.

Ref kamath #9

[Re: # 4
Harimau: You left out Jaya Lalitha next to Vyjayanthimala! Is it deliberate?]

I don`t know if Jayalalitha was as popular a movie star in Hindi heartland as Vyjayanthimala was. However, her rotund figure did appeal to the Masanamuthus of Tamil Nadu who swooned over her.

Jayalalitha was appreciated for her work as chief minister more in the Hindi heartland than in Tamil Nadu. Of course, when one has Lallu Prasad Yadav, Mayavati or Jyoti Basu as the yardsticks to be compared against, you can say it was a cakewalk for Jayalalitha.

Maybe Soysauce/Asli Masanamuthu can write an article on Jayalalitha. Anyone who has the guts to dismiss 175,000 state government workers for going on strike deserves a page on Chowk.

Re: # 17

Don`t worry bjK!
Bihar was the place to go study in the old days in the great university of Nalanada where great scholars from the South and from China arrived to study and teach.

I hope it is only a temporary down turn for a short time!

Kam

#14, #16

Yaaran,

It is quite futile to wipe my tears and console my wounded self-esteem! All the towels in the world will fail.

You all have taken that viscous stab on my plain and humble gentle Bihari soul just one step too deep.

You have done the damage!

It has been lacerated – all cut up – that noble Bihari heart! The blood gushes out in bucketfuls – more blood than I ever realized I carried.

I see red. Nothing but red!

There has been damage!!! Severe damage, at the cruel, thoughtless, vindictive and conniving hands of those creatures the rest of the world refers to as the fearsome South Indians!

It is perhaps beyond recovery – at least at some point in time in future when I get to sample some delicious South Indian food cooked by a South Indian lady.

Of which my own sister-in-law is one – and much more so than present day pretenders like old Harry Moe could ever aspire to be!

Naturally, I do not take things to the heart – the heart has already been taken – or at least my brother’s heart has been taken – taken in broad daylight!

And that crime is strictly a South Indian doing – you have my word on that!

Those creatures will stop at nothing, I tell you!

Re: # 14
You are right. One should have sense of humour to survive! So,`` ...Dont take the sarcasm of our Southies to heart. Many forget that Buddha and Asoka the Great were Biharis (Mouryas for that matter). ..``

BTW Gautama Buddha was born in Lumbini in present day Nepal. So Nepalis have a claim on him first and possibly a `Gurkha` !!!!

Nowadays Railwayminister Lallu has really taken over Emperor Ashoka!

There is a biography of Prof. Chandrasekhar by another astrophysicist of indian origin - Chandra by Kameshwar Wali. It`s an interesting book - not the best biography but deals with a lot of physics issues. [Review from Amazon - ...astrophysicist whose major contributions were recognized very belatedly with the award of a recent Nobel Prize in physics. His style of work has been unusual in that he has concentrated on deep study of several topics that were not necessarily fashionable, yet his work on them is now regarded as ``classic.`` Although this biography frequently alludes to Chandra`s scientific contributions, much is also said about his personal life and struggles. Wali, like Chandra, is a physicist of Indian birth now working in the United States, and thus he is especially well-qualified to describe Chandra`s origins and education in India, his years at Trinity College, Cambridge, and finally his long career at the University of Chicago. The scientific details are mostly nontechnical, thus rendering the book accessible to interested lay people as well as professional scientists. Highly recommended for academic and large public libraries.
- Jack W. Weigel, Univ. of Michigan Lib., Ann Arbor]
An interesting approach that Prof. Chandrasekhar had - he wrote books on diverse topics that became popular - he would write a book as a prelude to entering a new field! Perhaps partly because of this, and also because he was reputed to be an excellent and dedicated teacher, his books are lucid and easy to comprehend.
His review ``Stochastic Processes in Physics and Astronomy`` is one of the most widely cited scientific papers, and is popular even among a section of biologists.
Prof. Chandrasekhar did not get along well with his uncle C.V. Raman, discoverer of the Raman Effect, and also a physics nobel winner. It was widely felt in india that Prof. Krishnan should have been recognized as the co-discoverer of the ``Raman`` Effect, a view that Prof. Chandrasekhar apparently was in agreement with.

#3 Bihar has produced some well-known mathematicians...

BJ,

Dont take the sarcasm of our Southies to heart.

Many forget that Buddha and Asoka the Great were Biharis (Mouryas for that matter).

I still wonder why Bihar got this bad name?

They ruled India with distinction and gave a religion (Buddhism) that traverses the East & was less controversial.

Dr. Gill,

Thanks for that interesting writeup. Biographies of scientists are always very interesting as they overcome so many odds to prove thier theory. It is especially awesome when these scientists are from non-western world as they have to cross additional barriers.

#12 bj. Thanks for these tidbits as weel...

Dr. Gill,

I became curious so I looked up on Dr. Chandra and would like to point out the following minor details (from websites):

(1) The accurate name appears to have been Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar.

(2) His father, Chandrasekhara Subrahmanyan Ayyar was an officer in Government Service in the Indian Audits and Accounts Department.

(3) C.V. Raman was the younger brother of Dr. Chandra’s father.

(4) Lalitha Doraiswamy, his wife, had been Dr. Chandra’s junior at the Presidency College in Madras. They were married September 11, 1936.

(5) Immigration laws being what they were back in the 1930’s – there appears to have been no quota for an Indian to immigrate to USA as a scientist – so he got his original visa to US as a missionary! (I suppose the immigration lawyers were as wily back then as now.)

(6) His mother Sitalakshmi had only a few years of formal education, but was a remarkable intellectually gifted lady who translated Ibsen and Tolstoy into Tamil. The dad, who never wanted Chandra to leave India and never reconciled on that issue, at the time wished him to join the Civil Service, but the mom encouraged him to pursue his interests. Later, Sitalakshmi was terminally ill when he got his scholarship and it was clear that if Chandra went to England, he would not see her again. It was Sitalakshmi who decided the issue by declaring that Chandra was born for the world and not just for her.

(7) He had some difficult moments at the University on account of his skin color. The Chancellor Hutchins was very supportive, which helped. In 1946, Princeton offered to hire him at double his then salary. Hutchins matched the Princeton salary. Chandra declined the Princeton offer and Hutchins remarked on more than one occasion that acquiring Chandra for the University of Chicago was one of his major accomplishments as chancellor.

(8) Chandra`s book “Truth and Beauty” (1987) shows an entirely different side of his thinking. It includes his Ryerson Lecture “Shakespeare, Newton, and Beethoven” in which he explored and compared the motivations and feelings involved in the creation of science and art.

Re:kamath#8

[...You can never be one even in your next ten rebirths man unless you know how to chew Pan, develop a potbelly and able to spit red saliva for atleat 5 feet. ...]

Well, well, well....Looks like we have the start of a North-South food fight here.

To add fuel to the fire :-), my favorite South Indian is Mehmood, the Masterji from the movie- Padosan. The way he wears his dhoti, his shaven head with a choti, his ``Ai Ai Yo..Devi!!`` to the heroine and his overall Southie accent and persona was just hilarious. He he!!

#8 by kamath

You can never be one even in your next ten rebirths man unless you know how to chew Pan, develop a potbelly and able to spit red saliva for atleat 5 feet.

If this is what is required to be born a South Indian, then Beej bhai is eminently qualified. After all, I understand he is from Bihar, where even new born infants can pull off these three things :-)

Re: # 4
Harimau: You left out Jaya Lalitha next to Vyjayanthimala! Is it deliberate?

Re: # 3
BJKUMAR: You want to be what,``... Therefore, in my next life, I wish to be born a South Indian ..``

You can never be one even in your next ten rebirths man unless you know how to chew Pan, develop a potbelly and able to spit red saliva for atleat 5 feet.

Kamath

Mohammad: You say, ``...During all their discussions, while Chandrasekhar had been spewing out his figures, Eddington had never mentioned any work of his own in this area. It seemed an incredible breach of faith, yet Eddington offered no apology or explanation when the two men saw each other in the dining hall Thursday evening……. ``

I am glad you did not miss this observation! In another biographical book, The author was direct and pointed. He said that Eddington even though brilliant was not above stealing Chandrashekhar`s ideas to some extent and incorporating in his own paper. No credit was given to Chandrashekhar at all! Many European scientists, in those days did indeed displayed good deal of sense of superiority above non-Europeans. Eddington was bossy and a snob .

I hope all these subtle `racist` ideas must have disappeared when you ewere there!

I have come across another example where famous scientist Heisenberg behaved similarly to non-European people and Asian history.

Excellent article. Everyone with aptitude in Physics must read it. It is a lot of good information in a nutshell. I had read about Chandra but not in such a good detail before, along with other great scientists from India like M.N. Saha, Homi Bhabha, C.V. Raman, Abus Salam just to mention a few. Dr. Saha, in his book ‘Treatise on Heat’ mentions Chandra several times. Thanks Akram (Gill) for writing this article

Srinivasa Ramanujan, Sir CV Raman, Subramanian Chandrashekhar, Homi Bhabha, Vikram Sarabhai and APJ Abdul Kalam are the shining examples of folks who rose above tremendous odds to make a mark for themselves and their motherland. Thanks Gill Sahib for bringing to us this story.

Ref bjkumar #3

[The South Indians grow up to be smart scholars – the North Indians grow up to be Prime Ministers – i.e., good for nothing politicians!]

The best Prime Minister India had was P V Narasimha Rao, a Southie, who managed to last a full term despite his minority status in Parliament. And pushed through vast amount of economic reforms.

I do agree North Indians are good for nothing!

[And I am not even going to mention South Indian dames!]

You guys were drooling over Vyjayanthimala, Padmini, Rekha and Hema Malini, to mention just a few.

The South Indians grow up to be smart scholars – the North Indians grow up to be Prime Ministers – i.e., good for nothing politicians! (But at least they are not lawyers, thank God!)

I think I missed out big time!

I wish I were born a South Indian – then I could leap over tall mountains, perhaps, like Hanumana – or at least I could solve complicated partial differential equations as a pastime between those bucketfuls of coffee (tea having become passé), I could kick Schodinger’s equations in the chin, hit Planck’s constant on a constant basis, and pull all kinds of other peculiarly South Indian tricks – perhaps driving the Gill up the hill! I could impress the world with my very distinct style of conversation, perhaps – making the Laloo eat his heart out! I think the Nobel committee could be so impressed with my accent that they would fork over that Nobel prize in no time – just to ensure I don’t start talking again!

Therefore, in my next life, I wish to be born a South Indian – except of the Harry Moe kind, of course! And save me O Lord from that sambar and rasam, not to mention that yogurt which quenches all morning fires!

(And I am not even going to mention South Indian dames! That may be considered disrespectful on this board – not to mention the fact that it would make the vast majorities of chowkies VERY nostalgic!)

Anyway, tomorrow morning in good old Chandra`s memory, I shall make coffee, not tea. And if I can find him, perhaps I will go beat up on that Eddington guy! If I can not, perhaps I will have to settle for Yasser or some other chowk donkey – unless Dr. Gill volunteers to fill in (good man!)

People who admire Chandra get goose-pimples to read an article like this. I am one of such admirers of Chandra.

Well written Dr. Gill! Thank you.

Chandra X-ray telescope (named after Chandrasekhar)