Narayan Chandra Rana (12 October 1954 - 22 August 1996) was an Indian Professor.
Early life
Rana was born on 12 October 1954 in Sauri, a village in southern
Midnapore
Medinipur or Midnapore (Pron: med̪iːniːpur) is a city known for its history in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the West Medinipur district. It is situated on the banks of the Kangsabati River (variously known as '' ...
, West Bengal, to parents Rajendra Prasad and Nakfuri Devi. He was a student at the local school,
Sauri Bholanath Vidyamandir
Sauri Bholanath Vidyamandir, established in 1959, is one of the oldest school located in Sauri, Dantan, West Bengal, India.
About School
The school follows the course curricula of West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) and West Beng ...
. At school he met a graduate from Calcutta named Manindra Narayan Lahiri, an avid sky watcher, who introduced Rana to astronomy. Manindra Narayan's observation sessions would have Rana as his assistant well past midnight.
Rana attended the Presidency College, where he met the
cosmologist Professor
Amal Kumar Raychaudhuri.
Rana joined the
TIFR, Bombay, in 1977, where he began his research in
astrophysics
Astrophysics is a science that employs the methods and principles of physics and chemistry in the study of astronomical objects and phenomena. As one of the founders of the discipline said, Astrophysics "seeks to ascertain the nature of the h ...
with Professor
Jayant Vishnu Narlikar
Jayant Vishnu Narlikar (born 19 July 1938) is an Indian astrophysicist and emeritus professor at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA). He developed with Sir Fred Hoyle the conformal gravity theory, known as Hoyl ...
. His thesis was entitled "An investigation of the properties of intergalactic dust". Rana was awarded the INSA Young Scientist Award in 1983 and the Year’s Best Thesis award in the School of Physics, TIFR.
In spite of non-cooperative health and recurrent problems with his pacemaker, Rana has left his mark in many branches of astrophysics and in amateur astronomy in India. He was the Chairman of the
CIAA. His project of measuring the diameter of the Sun during the total solar eclipse on 24 October 1995, involving a large team of young students, was a very challenging one.
Professor Narayan Chandra Rana died on 22 August 1996 in
Pune, at the age of 42.
Education
* Primary from Sauri Primary School
* Secondary from Sauri Bholanath Vidyamandir High School
* Graduate in Physics from
Presidency College, Calcutta
* Post Graduation in Physics from
Rajabazar Science College, Calcutta University
* Ph.D from TATA Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR)
* Post Doctorate from Durhum University, U.K.
Achievements
* Secured first position in all subjects throughout his school life.
* Became Second in West Bengal in S.F.(Madhyamik) Examination,1969.
* Became Second in M.Sc. with Physics.
* Got Geeta Udgonkar Medal for best research from TIFR, Bombay.
* Received International award “Wealth Bursnay Award” & “SERC for Fellowship”research on “Evolution of Galaxy and Earth” from Durhum University.
* Best Teacher Award from Pune-1995.
* Best Young Scientist Award from Indian National Science Academy (INSA).
* Posthumous Award of Rs. One lakh and a certificate from The National Council for Science Academy & Technology Communication.
Brief works
He was a research at TIFR, Bombay, till 1991, after which he worked as a research professor at IUCAA, Pune. He worked as a director and member in many fields of astrophysics of national and international repute.
Notable works
# ''Classical Mechanics'' – Included in M.Sc. syllabus and Oxford University.
# ''Our Solar System'' – (Readable for all)
# ''Night Fall on a Sunny Morning.''
# ''Myth and Legends Related to Eclipses(1995)
# ''Observer’s Planner'' (1997)
# ''Challenge of Astronomy'' (1995)
In addition, he wrote about 70 research papers and many essays and lectures, along with some unfinished books and writings.
References
*http://ciaa1.tripod.com/rana.htm
*http://epaper.thestatesman.com/c/14973805
*http://www.sauribholanathvidyamandir.in/n-c-rana/
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rana, Narayan
1954 births
1996 deaths