Annual Report 2018-2019
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Contents 1. From the Director 1 2. RRI at a Glance 2 3. Prelude 8 4. Research: Knowledge Creation Astronomy and Astrophysics 24 Light and Matter Physics 39 Soft Condensed Matter 54 Theoretical Physics 79 5. Publications 87 6. Grants, Fellowships and Awards 88 7. Research Facilities 92 8. Knowledge Communication 99 9. Academic Activities 102 10. Extramural Activities 103 11. Events 108 12. Campus 115 13. People at RRI 116 Appendices 129 Audited Statement of Accounts 179 2 From the Director We owe it to the longing of the Founder – Professor Government, the choice of projects are a mix of ‘dreams’ that have C V Raman – for a place where he could pursue his the potential to give the Institute a visible standing amongst peers passions of engaging in pure research on nature, in the world of basic science research, and efforts to develop useful that we have a nice campus in the city of Bangalore capabilities of more direct relevance to ‘society’. Of course, given for the Raman Research Institute. Professor Raman that we have staffs with higher learning, the projects undertaken and grew eucalyptus trees to block the views of the the value addition to society is based on applications of advanced outside and perhaps to insulate the Institute from the outside, took steps to insulate the research of the Institute from potential obligations and directives that might be attached to Government grants, and also built a high wall around the land. Since 1972 RRI has been an aided autonomous research institute receiving funds from the Department of Science and Technology of the Government of India. Which naturally leads to an expectation that the research and administration of the Institute be governed by the funding agency; this happens through the representatives of the Government in the Governing Council and directives from the Department. The Institute has responded positively to changing perceptions of the role of RRI and similar institutes that engage in research in basic sciences. An expert committee constituted by the Department reviewed the Institute two years ago. Additionally, in 2018-19 a new procedure was introduced in which the Institute prepared a projection of the intended research, academic activities and administrative targets for the year ahead based on the funding anticipated; the document was agreed upon as a memorandum of understanding between the Institute and the Department. At the end of the year, outcomes were recorded and a performance appraisal made. A change effected in the year 2018-19 is a reorganising of the research groups of the Institute, to engender outcomes from collective efforts of staffs with complementary technical skills. The research of the Institute has also evolved to be increasingly based on extra-mural grants and to seek to take on a few moderate-scale projects that are concepts in science. The Institute has been through a transparent consistent with the strengths of the research staffs, process, which involved the Governing Council, in the defining of the strengths of the scientific and technical staffs, directions and emerging a vision that is consistent with RRI being a facilities, and character and size of the Institute. premier research institute of the country. As would be expected of a premier institute Ravi Subrahmanyan that derives the bulk of its funding from the 29 August 2019 1 fundamental laws and behaviour of nature spanning from RRI at a Glance sub-atomic to cosmological length scales thereby laying the basic foundation for advancement of science and its RI is an icon that symbolizes and represents the component benefits to society. More importantly, RRI heritage of Indian physicist and Nobel Laureate Sir strives to engender quality research manpower through its RC V Raman, continuing his legacy and style of qualitatively vibrant Post-doctoral, Doctoral, Research Assistantship impactful research that earns the nation a respectable and Visiting Student programmes. place. The Institute preserves the inspirational spirit of this stalwart of our scientific cultural history. Director History The current director of the Raman Research Institute is Ravi Subrahmanyan. Nobel Laureate, Sir C V Raman, founded the Raman Research Institute in 1948 on land that had been gifted to him by the Government of Mysore. After the Professor’s Location demise in 1970, a public charitable trust was created - the RRI is located on a 20-acre site in Bengaluru. The verdant Raman Research Institute Trust – and the lands, buildings, campus with a mix of manicured landscapes and patches deposits, securities, bank deposits, moneys, laboratories, of wilderness provides a serene environment away from instruments, and all other movable and immovable the hustle and bustle of the developing metropolis beyond properties were transferred to the RRI Trust. The function its walls, perfectly suited for the creative research and of the RRI Trust was to maintain, conduct and sustain the higher learning conducted within. Raman Research Institute. In 1972, RRI was restructured to become an aided Research Areas autonomous research institute and since then has been receiving funds for its research from the Department of The research in basic sciences is today in selected areas of Science and Technology of the Government of India. Astronomy and Astrophysics, Light and Matter Physics, A set of Regulations and Bye-Laws were framed for its Soft Condensed Matter Physics, and Theoretical Physics. administration and management. The research work includes Physics in Biology, Soft Matter Chemistry, Quantum Information, Computing and Administration Communications. The Governing Council is the executive body of the Research Laboratories Institute and conducts the administration and management of the Institute. The Director is the Chief Executive and • X-ray Astronomy Laboratory Academic Officer and is responsible for the administration • Molecular Astronomy Laboratory of the Institute. He exercises general supervision over • Cosmological Recombination & Reionization the programmes and research projects of the Institute. Laboratory The Administrative Officer is responsible for the general administration of the Institute and represents it in legal and • Sky Watch Array Network other related proceedings. The Finance Committee helps • Light-Matter Interactions the Council with financial matters. • Laser Cooling & Quantum Optics • Ultrafast and Nonlinear Optics Mission • Quantum Information & Computing • Quantum Interactions The mandate of the Institute is primarily research in • Quantum Mixtures Laboratory basic sciences that advances the knowledge of mankind • Phase Transitions & Electro-optics by creating new knowledge, secondly communicating this knowledge to the next generation thus empowering • Rheology and Light Scattering them with higher learning and scientific temper, and • Microscopy and Scattering thirdly maintaining an institution of higher learning where • Biophysics academic culture and scientific temper are promoted. The • Chemistry research conducted at the Institute continually advances • Electrochemistry and Surface Science knowledge base via an improved understanding of the 2 • Microscopy and Dielectric Spectroscopy Education • Nanoscale Physics of Soft and Living Matter • Soft and Adaptive Materials Laboratory RRI offers the following programmes for advanced • Brain Computer Interface learning and knowledge communication in basic sciences, including theoretical and experimental methods and skills. Research Facilities • PhD Programme • Postdoctoral Fellowships • Soft Matter Measurement Laboratories • Pancharatnam Fellowships ◦ Analytical Physical Measurement Lab • Visiting Students Programme ◦ X-ray Diffraction Lab • Research Assistant Programme ◦ SEM Lab ◦ AFM Lab ◦ NMR Lab Funding ◦ Micro-Raman Spectroscopy Lab ◦ Magnetic Studies Lab The research of the Institute is nurtured and sustained ◦ Photophysical Studies Lab by grants-in-aid from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, and extra-mural grants. • Mechanical Engineering Services ◦ Mechanical Workshop ◦ Sheet metal, paint and carpentry facility • Electronics Engineering Group • Gauribidanur Field Station • Library • Computer Group • Infrastructure ◦ Guest House ◦ Canteen ◦ Clinic ◦ Sports facilities ◦ Crèche 3 Council Prof. A.K. Sood, Chairman President, The Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi. Honorary Professor, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012. Dr. K. Kasturirangan Honorable Distinguished Advisor, Indian Space Research Organisation, Bengaluru. Emeritus Professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 560012. Chancellor, Central University of Rajasthan, Dist-Ajmer-305817, Rajasthan. Prof. Ashutosh Sharma Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Ministry of Science & Technology, New Delhi 110016. Shri B. Anand Additional Secretary & Financial Advisor, Department of Science & Technology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, New Delhi 110016. Prof. R. Rajaraman Emeritus Professor, Theoretical Physics, School of Physical Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067. Prof. Vijay Bhatkar Chancellor, Nalanda University, Chairman, ETH Research Lab, National President, Vijnan Bharati, Bavdhan, Off Mumbai-Bengaluru Bypass, Pune 411021. Prof. H.S. Mani Adjunct Professor, Chennai Mathematical Institute, H1, SIPCOT IT Park, Kelambakkam, Siruseri, Tamil Nadu 603103. Prof. Ravi Subrahmanyan Director, Raman Research Institute (Ex-officio member) Bengaluru 560 080.