Vadodara-educated scientist wins Nobel Prize

"Not only I but every resident of Baroda is delighted that Venkataraman has won the Nobel prize," said professor CV Ramakrishnan, father of Venkataraman Ramakrishnan who has been awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in chemistry with two other scientists. "All Barodans are proud of him because he did his schooling and graduation in the city."

Prof Ramakrishnan, who is 80, now lives in the US.

Talking to DNA on the telephone, he said his son was selected for admission to a medical college too, but he had preferred to study physics. "He loved physics even as a child," said Ramakrishnan, who is the founder and former head of the department of biochemistry, Maharaj Sayajirao University. Ramakrishnan said Venkataraman did his BSc in physics from MS University before going to Ohio University.

"At Ohio, he got a PhD for his work in condensed material physics," said Ramakrishnan. "From Ohio, he went to Laoliva University to study molecular bio-physics."

Recalling their days in Vadodara, Ramakrishnan said Venkataraman was a student at Convent School which at the time admitted very few boys. "He was among the few boys at the school," he recalled. "He came first in his high school exam, after which he was selected for admission to a medical college. But he took admission in BSc physics at the Faculty of Science, MS University."

Ramakrishnan is also delighted by the research for which his son has been awarded the Nobel prize as he is a scientist himself.