National Science Day

National Science Day is observed on 28 February to commemorate C. V. Raman's discovery of the Raman Effect in 1928. While studying how light changes when it passes through a material, Raman and his collaborators identified a small shift in the scattered light's wavelength that revealed information about molecular structure. The discovery became a major contribution to modern spectroscopy and earned Raman the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physics. In 1986, the National Council for Science and Technology Communication proposed that 28 February be designated National Science Day, and the Government accepted the proposal. Since then schools, universities, laboratories and science organisations have used the date for demonstrations, exhibitions and public lectures. The story of the Raman Effect gives the day a specific scientific origin, while the wider aim is to cultivate curiosity, evidence-based thinking and communication between scientific institutions and society.

National Science Day helps remember an important person, institution, event or public value in India.