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Royal Society Turns

Royal Society Turns

Feature Article N.S. ARUN KUMAR 660, . It is the weeknight in November with a little dampened cobblestones in the narrow, twisting streets. Hansom1 cabs are on urgent errands, rumbling past the elegant tenements ROYAL SOCIETY and majestic houses, all wrapped in misty swaths of illuminated fog. A few learned men with silver heads have gathered at the ‘’. A conspicuously young man in his TURNS 350 twenties is giving a lecture on . It is well beyond their horizons, delimited by the barriers of The Royal Society that has pioneered scientific their wisdom, rendering a bewildered audience. And as they listen to him discovery and exploration and is among the oldest scientific speak, they think it would be a good idea to create a society to share the academies in existence turns 350 this year. vastly accumulating knowledge of science. With that the Royal Society of ALL PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY ROYAL SOCIETY London is born. Since its inception, the Royal Safeguarding the science policy Empire to the fourteenth century. Society has pioneered scientific and prophesies of the public, it has Gloomy gannets of superstitions and discovery and exploration. This oldest been so, since the middle of the 18th deep ignorance hung over the clouds among the scientific academies in century. Through the outstanding of Europe, except for the noble existence is turning 350 this year. Truly stand of its fellows it has also been the aspirations of the Italians, international in its outlook, the society advisor of the European Commission representing a silver line. Italy was, is celebrating its momentous history and United Nations on controversies no doubt, the fair land on which rose and achievements through an yearlong involving the materialization of the intellectual sun preluding an ‘festival of science’ in 2010. precarious science. Celebrities of intrepid pursuit of truth and eminence like , Charles substance. The wealthy inhabitants of “Nullius in Verba” Darwin and Albert Einstein up to the principal Italian cities became the It is for this the society exists – “nullius Stephen Hawking have been there as ardent cultivators of literature and in verba” – signifying the motto fellows, the fellowship remaining its philosophy ransacking much of the meaning in “take nobody’s word backbone and global hallmark. intellectuals from Europe. for it.” It demands its members to be The medieval relics are still there No fewer than 171 Academies and free from any controls and clans with a on the premises of Carlton House Societies were there in Italy at that time determination to establish the truth Terrace, which is hosting a grand instituted in the form of independent through wide experiments. Being exhibition on the society’s rich heritage universities. It is interesting to note engraved on its ‘coat of arms’, it has dating back to the rampages of absolute that Galileo was a member of one of remained as a gladiator reflecting the ecclesiastical authority. The despotic such Societies, known by the name, the scientific endeavour of the society, defence of the mystical theology was ‘Lyncean’. However, the much shaping the world as we live in today. much rampant, compelling everything celebrated among them was the Garbed as official, with a canton of the to bow before it, including the Academy founded in Florence in 1582 Arms of , it has now become philosophical thought. It was an which was for purifying the national the ‘United Kingdom’s Academy of offence to reject the reason of the tongue, publishing a well-known Sciences’ advising Her Majesty’s religion, throughout the long interval, dictionary in 1612. Upto this period, Government on matters of science. from the overthrow of the Roman there was no Academy or institution of similar kind either in France or in Indian Fellows of the Royal Society Germany. Contrary to popular belief, the first Indian fellow of the Royal Society was not Srinivasa The inception and proposal for Ramanujan, the mathematical genius. The distinction goes to Ardaseer Cursetjee, such an Academy in England was first India’s first modern engineer bringing industrial revolution to the gateways of India. made by Edmond Bolton in 1616, an He was elected as fellow on 27 May 1841. Ramanujan came second in 1918 eminent scholar and antiquary of that followed by J.C. Bose in 1920. It is to the credit of the Royal Society that C.V. Raman period. King James I was on the throne was elected as its fellow before he was awarded the Nobel Prize in . and so Bolton proposed its title to be Meghnad Saha, Birbal Sahni, K.S. Krishnan, Homi J. Bhabha, Shanti Swarup “King James His Academe of Honour” to Bhatnagar, Subrahmanya Chandrasekhar, P. Maheshwari, C.N.R. Rao, and M.S. attract his favour. But, the death of the Swaminathan are the prominent among the many who have represented the wisdom king in 1625 put an end to everything of India in the Society. novel, including this ambitious dream. 44 SCIENCE REPORTER, September 2010 Carlton House Terrace— Feature Article current home of the Royal Society (since 1967)

The Queen at the 350th anniversary convocation held on 23rd June 2010 (top); Prince William at the convocation where he was made a Royal Fellow of the Royal Society (middle); Following the convocation, the guests had the opportunity to have a first look at the Society’s Summer Science Exhibition (above) The “” It was established in 1629 with no Astronomers and Mathematicians were The ‘Minerva’s ’ came next, equivalent across the English Channel, among them, but the purpose was under the patronage of Charles I, but a disgrace for the learned Britons. common: “acquiring knowledge rather than for spreading knowledge, Academic gatherings were not through experimental investigation”. it was intended for fencing it for the uncommon in England during that Records of the “Invisible College” noble youth. The aristocratic tendency time, but none for the discussion of commence from 1646 and there was no of it was too obvious in demanding scientific subjects. The University in London at that time anybody to be admitted to submit a prevailed for decades, until a group of except for the ‘Gresham College’, which testimonial of his arms and gentry. On natural philosophers formed an remained an “unusual institution of the other side, France was moving at “Invisible College” without waiting higher learning”. It was founded in 1597 length to follow the stirring example for a royal decree. was under the will of Sir Thomas Gresham, of Italy, forming a private society of the pioneer of this, extended through forming a platform for the public for learned men in Paris, deliberately , , Robert the frequent voicing of their novel choosing the name the “French Hooke, , Christopher ideas. It granted no degrees, nor Academy”. Wren and some others. Alchemists, enrolled any students, but played a SCIENCE REPORTER, September 2010 45 Feature Article such as the ‘London Society’ and the Gresham College – first home of Royal ‘ Society’, in 1638 due to the Society (1660-1710) traveling inconvenience of its members. Among these, the Oxford Society was more active to an extent remarkable for that period, in an attempt to overlay the heavy network of theologic dogmatism. Initially they had no rules at the “invisible college”, but the Oxford faction thought that they needed some to orient themselves more systematically. “The Philosophical major role in the medieval Society of Oxford” was the result, as a enlightenment of the English people. separate institution, but still Some members of the “Invisible maintaining links with their College” were there in Gresham companions at Gresham College, which had turned out to be the regular College as professors, such as meeting place of the London group. Christopher Wren lecturing on The need for a permanent “college” Astronomy and on was much felt during that period, natural philosophy. The specialty of following their survival through the the Gresham College was that it acted infamous English Civil War of 1658. as a precursor for the invisible college, The proposal for a structured attracting more members to it. society was first made by , Everything was in an air of friendliness, in a letter to Robert Boyle dated 3 enacting no rules or boundaries, September 1659, who wanted it to be a enabling a wide and enriching learning centre for advanced research correspondence even from Johannes and discussion on the emerging “new Kepler, Tycho Brahe and other eminent science”. Suggestions were also there scientists. from other members like Abraham signed on 15 July 1662. Thus the “Royal Cowley and Bengt Skytte raising a Society of London” was created, with The Royal Charter common expression. Accordingly, a Lord Brouncker as the first president. In the past, the ‘invisible college’ “College for the promotion of Physico- With a second Royal Charter signed on remained truly “ invisible” in the sense Mathematical Experimental Learning” 23 April 1663, the “coat of arms” was that it had no official building of its was decided to be formed in a meeting granted to the President and to the own, the members meeting in a variety at the Gresham College on 28 fellows of the Society along with their of locations, including their own November 1660. successors. houses and sometimes at the Gresham It had to meet on all weeks and at College. At first, they were twelve, but the second meeting it was announced The Royal Society Charter granted by Charles II and the membership expanded over time, that King Charles II had approved their Royal Society mace presented by Charles II in 1662; eventually splitting into two factions, gathering through a Royal Charter (inset) Charles II

46 SCIENCE REPORTER, September 2010 Feature Article The fellows of the Royal Society are elected for life, based on their “substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including , Engineering and Medical Science”. Forty-four fellows are elected each year and currently there are 1,314 in total. The fellows gain the right to use the ‘FRS’ title after their name, as a prestigious icon, rather than a statutory bearing. The society also elects three more kinds of fellows known as the ‘Royal fellows’, ‘Honorary fellows’ and ‘Foreign Members’. The Royal Fellows are from the Monarchy of the United Kingdom. People who are ineligible to be elected as fellows, but “whose election would significantly benefit the society” form the Honorary fellows. Foreign members are scientists from non-commonwealth nations “who are eminent for their scientific discoveries and attainments”. They also are elected for life, but their postnominal title is ‘For MemRs’, not ‘FRS’. The elected fellows The 250th anniversary dinner of the Royal Society at of the society include famous scientists the Guildhall, 10th July 1912 such as Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, , Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. The Society The Society was governed by its The Royal Charters designated the council, which was chaired by the The Indian Links King as the founder of the Royal president of the society. The members India has long occupied prominent of the council and the president were Society, which was for the place in the activities of the Royal elected from the fellows by the fellows. “improvement of natural knowledge”. Society, as evident from the historical The fellows had the right to elect new collections of the society. In the The appointment of the members of the Fellows (still followed as a custom Register Book of 1663, there is a report society was authorised in the second today) and also a responsibility of on how the natives of Coromandel Charter, designating them as the financially sustaining the society. vivified their drinks by exposing them “fellow of the Royal Society”. In the Even though the king was to the sun and wind. The Brahmin beginning, there were 98 fellows, now supposed to be the patron, the society observatory in Benares was visited by known as the “Original Fellows”. could not rely on his financial Sir Robert Baker FRS in 1774, revealing assistance and so the the geometrical tables used by the favour of wealthy nobles astronomers there, for predicting was necessary for the eclipses of the Sun and the . survival of the society, in during his its earlier times. So, many tenure as President to the Royal Society of the early fellows of in the 19th century came to study the society were not the great equinoctial ‘Sun-dial’ there, scientists or eminent but only to find it in a sad state of intellectuals and this disrepair. A reference meridian to inevitable practice British Indian was established by continued until the William Petrie FRS who made it financial security of the possible through his own instruments society became more equipped in an observatory at his Royal Mail launched a certain. In May 1846, a residence in Madras. It was that which series of 10 stamps committee recommended became “India’s equivalent of ”, commemorating past the selection of fellows playing a prominent role in Fellows of the Royal purely on scientific astronomical aids to navigation Society and their achievement, delimiting throughout the 19th century. enormous contributions to the members exclusively The East India Company modern science as scientific personalities. strengthened its hold on India SCIENCE REPORTER, September 2010 47 Feature Article

Rosalind Elsie Franklin was a British biophysicist, , chemist, biologist and X-ray crystallographer who played a key role in the elucidation of the structure of DNA but received little recognition before her untimely death. She is one of the ten most influential British women in the history of science according to a panel of leading female scientists and science historians assembled by the Royal Society to affirm its commitment to the advancement of women in science.

As part of the Royal Society’s 350th Anniversary Decoding the Biome Society demands its members to be free from celebrations, an exhibition “The Royal Society: 350 India was a land of natural novelties any controls and clans with a determination to Years of Science” will feature a number of treasures to the British, inspiring pioneers like establish the truth through wide experiments. from the Royal Society’s extensive collections of archives, Warren Hastings FRS to employ the rare books, artefacts, and portraits European scientific observation 1935 was no exception with an analysis into the myriad of its emblazoned Royal Society in its diversity. Specimens of everything featured amulets. The inception and proposal for such an that seemed new from the natural Apart from these distant Academy in England was first made by world were sent to Britain for scientific engravings, a ‘true friend of India’ was Edmond Bolton in 1616 classification and nomenclature. Many there at the Royal Society, helping the of them came to the British Museum, country during its formative years of leading to their artistic renderings and independence. It was , following the British colonial publication. who was the fellow of the Royal th adventures during the 18 century. An early production was ‘Indian Society from 1933 and president during Better means of transport and Zoology’ by Thomas Pennant FRS, which 1965-70. He was met by Shanti Swarup telecommunication such as railways came out in 1790. The next was ‘Century Bhatnagar FRS at the Empire Scientific and electric telegraph were coming to of Birds from the Himalaya Mountains’ by Conference in London in 1946, leading India demanding accurate physical John Gould FRS, one of Britain’s to an invitation to attend the Indian surveys. The ‘Survey of India’ was foremost ornithologists. It was with Science Congress which was due on established by the East India beautiful hand-coloured lithographs January 1947. Nehru was there at the Company in 1767, which initiated the and appeared in huge imperial folio Congress and it was the beginning of a ‘Great Trigonometrical Survey (675)’ volumes. Originally it was the long friendship. of India, under the guidance of catalogue of specimens sent from Blackett went on to stay for several William Lambton FRS. Nepal and northern India to the extended visits to Nehru’s Prime Modern mapping methodologies museum of the Zoological Society, Ministerial residence in Delhi serving and scientific surveying methods were where Gould was the official bird- as an advisor on military and scientific adopted making it a grand stuffer. Study of Indian flora was done matters. He was there to shape our technological victory. The name of under the direction of Sir , economic growth, education and George Everest is also worth the then president of the Royal Society, development of atomic energy. In 1972, mentioning. He joined the project as mainly by William Roxburgh, which an agreement was made between the Chief Assistant Surveyor in 1818, rising was extended by Nathaniel Wallich Indian National Science Academy and to become the superintendent of the FRS. His work Plantae Asiaticae Rariores Royal Society enabling a large number GTS, retiring as the Surveyor General published during 1830-32 is still of collaborative activities between UK and India. Even today the relationship of India. He had led the project to the considered an authentic reference on continues to flourish with a real impact northern parts of India, but his Indian plants. successors while continuing it to the on issues of global concern. foothills of the Himalayas, attributed Leaving a Trail the ‘Peak XV’ to his name, in an Everything in pre-independent India Shri N.S. Arunkumar is Editorial Assistant, honour. Thus, that peak came to be was cast out from imperial British Kerala State Institute for Children’s Literature, known as the ‘Everest’ – the highest moulds with preserved elegance in Sanskrit College Campus, Palayam, mountain peak in the world. The those basic patterns. The Indian Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala-695034, renaming was done in 1856. National Science Academy set up in E-mail: [email protected] 48 SCIENCE REPORTER, September 2010

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