Department of Physics

The PHYSICS DEPARTMENT, one of the oldest in the Central College affiliated to Madras University and to Mysore University in 1916, has been in existence from 1882 when Mr. J. Cook was principal and professor of physics. Mr. E.P. Metcalfe, student of Sir J.J. Thomson, professor of Physics from 1908, was awarded D.Sc. Degree of the London University. He was appointed as Vice-Chancellor of the Mysore University in 1929. His work with Prof. B. Venkatesachar appeared in proceedings of Royal Society and school of spectroscopic research was established. The famous Nobel Prize winning work of Sir C.V. Raman, the RAMAN EFFECT was announced here by the discoverer on 16th March 1928. Prof. A. Venkatarao Telang, head from 1937 was working in Atmospheric electricity, collaborated with the International Polar year committee of 1932-33, started wireless section. During the war the Posts and Telegraphs, Government of India approached this section for design and testing of power transmitter chokes, which was completed within 3 months and earned appreciation. The D.Sc. degree was awarded to Sri L. Sibaiya of Madras University in 1940 and to Sri T.S. Subaraya of Mysore University in 1944. The x-ray section was started by Dr. S. Ramasamy in 1938. During the time of Dr. S. Ramachandra Rao and Prof S. B. Bondade there has been phenomenal growth in the student"s strength of all classes inclusive of Honors and MSc. In memory of Prof. S.B. Bondade a gold medal has been instituted at Mysore University and at Bangalore University for the First rank holders of M.Sc. Physics. Every year Indian Physics Association conducts Bondade Memorial lecture competition for M.Sc. students. Nuclear physics section was also started with the help of UGC and CSIR grants. Astrophysics section was started during 1990 with the efforts of Prof. B.C. Chandrashekar, a fellow of National Academy of Science. The UGC-DRS program was granted with Prof. N.G. Puttaswamy as principal coordinator who also served as Emeritus professor in the department. Several stalwarts served as faculty of the department. In 1989 the Department was shifted to Jnanabharathi Campus. The major research activities of the Departments are in X-ray Crystallography, NMR / ESR / NQR studies of Solids, Molecular spectroscopy, Stellar Structure, Studies of Quasars, Synthesis and Structure of Glasses, Nuclear Structure and Reactions, High Tc. superconductivity, Color Centers in alkali halides, Nanophosphors, Radiation effects in Semiconductors, Swift heavy ion interaction with matter, thin films, cluster ion sources, Mössbauer spectroscopy of certain magnetic materials, Internal Bremsstrahlung studies, Optical tweezer, Ion trapping etc. The Department faculty collaborates with leading national research laboratories like IISc, ISRO, RRI, IIA, IUAC, IUCAA, IGCAR, IUC-DAEF etc. Also, the department has collaborative programmes with International Laboratories and Universities.