K. S. Krishnan, Physicist
Physicist

K. S. Krishnan

Born 4 December 1898 · Tamil Nadu — Died 14 June 1961

Co-discovering Raman scattering alongside C. V. Raman in 1928.

Sir Kariamanikkam Srinivasa Krishnan was an Indian physicist. He was a co-discoverer of Raman scattering, for which his mentor C. V. Raman was awarded the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physics.

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A detail that
surprised us

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Despite being overshadowed by his mentor C. V. Raman, K. S. Krishnan was the co-author on the original 1928 paper that announced the discovery of Raman scattering, a fact often overlooked in histories of the Nobel-winning discovery.

The Story

1
In 1920, K. S. Krishnan joined C. V. Raman at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science in Kolkata, where he co-discovered Raman scattering, a phenomenon that would later win Raman the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physics.
2
🌟 By 1928, Krishnan had shifted to Dacca University as Reader in Physics, pioneering innovative methods to measure magnetic anisotropy in crystals, culminating in the "Krishnan Banerjee method" published by the Royal Society in 1933.
3In 1940, Krishnan was elected Fellow of the Royal Society, recognized for his molecular optics research and his work on magnetic properties of crystals, marking a rare international validation of Indian physics during the colonial era.
4🌿 Between the 1940s and 1950s, Krishnan founded the National Physical Laboratory and established India's first Low-temperature Physics laboratory, laying foundational infrastructure for post-independence Indian science.

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
Padma Bhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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Krishnan was deeply versed in Tamil and Sanskrit literature and philosophy, and alongside his scientific career, he wrote extensively on Vishishtadvaita philosophy, blending science and spirituality in his intellectual life.

📸 Through the Years

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🗓️ A Life in Moments

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Birth
Birth in Watrap, Tamil Nadu
Kariamanikkam Srinivasa Krishnan was born into a Vaishnavite Brahmin family; his father was a scholar of Tamil literature.
1898
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Career
Joined Raman at IACS Kolkata
Krishnan began experimental studies on light scattering, collaborating with C.V. Raman at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science.
1920
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Career
Reader at Dacca University
Krishnan focused on magnetic properties of crystals and developed precise experimental techniques with Banerjee and Guha.
1928
📖
Publication
Published in Royal Society
Co-authored 'Investigations on Magne-Crystallic Action' advancing crystal magnetism studies.
1933
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Award
Elected Fellow of the Royal Society
Krishnan was recognized for his work on molecular optics and magnetic anisotropy of crystals.
1940
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Career
Director of National Physical Laboratory
Krishnan was appointed the first director, establishing key research infrastructure in independent India.
1947
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Other
Delegate at UN Peace Conference
Represented India in international peace efforts, connecting science with global diplomacy.
1955
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Death
Death
Krishnan passed away after multiple heart attacks, closing a multifaceted scientific and philosophical career.
1961
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🗝️Discoveries

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01 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

In 1933, Krishnan co-published a landmark paper with Santilal Banerjee titled "Investigations on Magne-Crystallic Action" in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, which introduced new experimental methods to measure magnetic anisotropy in crystals.

02 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Krishnan was invited by Lord Rutherford to lecture at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge and by Sir William Bragg to the Royal Institution in London in 1937, unusual honors for an Indian scientist under colonial rule.

03 / 04
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

He was a delegate to the 1955 United Nations Peace Conference, making him one of the first Indian scientists actively engaged in international peace advocacy during the early Cold War era.

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🌱 What changed because of them

Krishnan's work on magneto-crystalline anisotropy introduced precise experimental techniques that remain foundational in solid-state physics. As founder-director of the National Physical Laboratory and pioneer of low-temperature physics labs, he built critical research infrastructure for India’s scientific progress. His mentorship shaped key physicists who advanced Indian science in the decades following independence.

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