CHENNAI: People today don’t know the trials and tribulations we had to go through back then,” says 93-year-old author, scientist-cum-industrial entrepreneur, RV Ramani as we start a conversation about his association with Presidency College in the 1940’s, his notable feat in the production of electronic grade silicon and his memories of growing up amid independence struggle and World War II.
Born in 1923 in Thanjavur, RV Ramani was educated in the Government College in Kumabkonam and subsequently joined Presidency College, Madras for Science Hons Degree and MA in Physics and Chemistry followed by a research degree under Professor Seshadri and Sir CV Raman. Recollecting anecdotes from his memory the nonagenarian says, “Back then, though we had several limitations and had to go through a hectic phase due to the pre-Independence movements and World War II, we had some interesting things like new innovations going up and about,” recalls. “We had only six seats in Chemistry and eight in physics on offer, and this was for the whole of Madras Presidency.”
Short-listed among the 90,000-plus candidates for both physics and chemistry, Ramani finally found his place in the physics course. “We were a very small group. But, we were all motivated. Ramakrishnan (mathematician and director of Institute of Mathematical sciences), T Ragavan (corporate lawyer), Ramanujachari (judge of Andhra high court), R Natarajan and GP Krishnamurthy (meteorological department) and few others were part of the group,” he recalls.
Talking about the iconic Presidency College clock tower, Ramani shares that he was one among the 20-member team who was instrumental in designing and building the clock. One of the most challenging assignments during his college days, he says, “The College had an old clock on the main tower which was was close to collapsing. So, the management decided to install a new clock with faces on all four sides. Our physics group was given this task. The steel hands weighted above 50 kg and we had to design it in such a way that it withstands cyclones and corrosion,” he shares.
Making an indigenous internal counter weight system that neutralizes the weight of the hands and stabilizes them, the clock tower was installed after six months. “The clock still stands tall,” beams the 1988 Padma Shri recipient. A resident at the Victorian hostel, Triplicane, Ramani was not only part of research and experiments but also took part in student movements during the pre-independence struggle.
“Between 1940 and 1943, when Nehru was arrested while trying to enter Kashmir, there was agitation and we had students’ strike in college that was led by then union president A N Rangaswamy,” he recalls. “Similarly, when Gandhi went on a fast unto death in 1943, we raised slogans and demonstrations. We were arrested and taken to the D2 police station in Wallaja Road.”
From camouflaging in the darkness of the hostels and staying away from Japanese aircrafts to rendering service to the indigenous industry in the country, Ramani has done it all. The two biggest achievements that he is proud of are: “The chemical industry adopting the concept of automation that rose in 1949 is my greatest contribution and independence as far as making our own electronic grade silicon is a feat I am proud of.” This became the basic raw material for chips, transistors and devices which run computers, electronic and communication industry today. “The present day industrial entrepreneurs have little knowledge about how we worked amid constraints. Things have changed with globalisation and are a thing of the past,” he adds.
Memories from the past