Raman Research Institute

The Raman Research Institute (RRI) is a scientific research institute located in Bengaluru, India, founded by Nobel laureate Sir C. V. Raman in 1948 on land originally allotted to the Indian Academy of Sciences by the Maharaja of Mysore in 1934. Initially a privately owned institute under Raman's leadership, it operated without government funding, as Raman preferred private donations to avoid bureaucratic reporting requirements. Before his death in 1971, Raman established a framework separating RRI from the Indian Academy of Sciences, granting it statutory autonomy. Since 1972, it has functioned as an autonomous body funded by annual grants from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. Tarun Souradeep has served as director since January 2022. Notable achievements include S. Pancharatnam's discovery of the geometric phase in optics, now called the Pancharatnam Phase. The institute also houses Raman's collection of gems, minerals, and stuffed specimens. Research areas include astronomy and astrophysics, theoretical physics, light and matter physics, and soft condensed matter physics, with liquid crystal research being a major focus for nearly three decades, including the discovery of several liquid crystalline materials.