Do not work on anything you are not interested in. This is an absolute minimum to succeed, says the Nobel Laureate
What does it take to become a Nobel laureate?
Venkataraman ‘Venky' Ramakrishnan, who won the coveted award for chemistry last year, is of the view that no special attributes are needed to achieve the feat.
“There is no magical formula for winning a Nobel Prize,” Professor Ramakrishnan said at a public lecture here on Monday.
Replying to a question from the audience, he also stressed that there was no need for India to win a Nobel Prize to become a scientific power. “I also don't think that if India wins a Nobel Prize, it would mean suddenly that Indian science is okay.”
Interacting for nearly half an hour with students and researchers, Professor Ramakrishnan said: “Do not work on anything you are not interested in. This is an absolute minimum [to succeed].”
He advocated the ‘Crick test' for the students. “It is a classic test that you can use. It was first proposed by Francis Crick. He said if you do not gossip about your problem, that means you are not really interested in it.”
Professor Ramakrishnan added: “If you are a science student…everyday science is a tedious [affair] and you have to have the patience to see a problem through. This depends on how much you care for the problem.”
He urged young researchers to set a five-year horizon for their work. “This is more applicable to young investigators — where do you want to be in the next five years, not in terms of status but in terms of work.”
Professor Ramakrishnan said researchers should choose the right place to pursue their area of interest. “It does not necessarily mean the most prestigious place, but it has to be one with a very good intellectual environment for your work.”
Elaborating on this, he said: “If you go to a second-rate place and you are first-rate, it is very difficult to do first-rate work because you do not get that critical feedback you need for first-rate work on a daily basis.”
‘Booming field'
Replying to another query, Professor Ramakrishnan said he chose biology as his field of work after graduating in theoretical physics because the new field was booming and there were fresh breakthroughs every now and then.
“Physics is in a difficult situation in the sense that fundamental problems in physics have become extremely difficult, and [it is] really going to require amazingly smart and original thinkers to lead the way out of it.”
The public lecture was organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the Science and Technology Ministry's Department of Biotechnology.
Keywords: Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Nobel laureate
i think what venky said is true on daily aspects of science .according to me "if freedom is not given to the student to science he enjoys it is cruel and should only ignore as venki pointed out.we should discover our self
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Dear Viewers, I am having different experience for noble work or noble prize. In India, if you are creative means you invite lot of problems to your life and profession, hurdles on the way not only by your peers but also by your boss. Instead of problems at work, during selection or appointing, we select castes,creeds, regions, religions, relatives etc and so these nurtures in India. It means India could have n no of Nobel laureates every year. If we have worthy selection procedures by worthy Board and worthy working environment, we are able enough to arrange assets also. The another thing, We appreciate handling many aspects at a time and then How quality is expected. Thank GOD, Dr Venkey had that opportunity to fetch Nobel prize. I am sorry to them it hurts.
Dr. Venky has once again made some very interesting and inspirational comments. I think engineers especially in India are now looking at how best they can emulate what has already been done with a couple of new features thrown in - that has become the new definition of creativity which is got to change. Academia in itself has taken a back seat, and that worries me. It is not like the mid 1900's where one followed one's heart blind, and thus produced really good scientists. The synergy of the physicists of the 1930's and the way they revolutionized physics - the big Einstein/Bohr debate and various other frontiers is testament to the scientific pursuits in that era which I sincerely hope today budding scientists will emulate, especially in India.
I am agree with Deepak that researchers in india are not so free.I like to add that when the student will be free to choose a teacher,than only India can get good scientists,thinkers etc.Today the education system in India is not only inappropriate but also corrupt.
.its easy for Dr Venky to say that "If you go to a second-rate place and you are first-rate, it is very difficult to do first-rate work because you do not get that critical feedback you need for first-rate work on a daily basis." But do the researchers in India have such a freedom of choice....most of us are at places not by choice but by the availability.
Instead of inculcating creativity and interest in the subject, our institutions of higher learning, are ridden with corruption and maladministration,apart from syllabus oriented exam. system. Result: Quantity not Quality. Prof Ramakrishnan fortunately escaped. Unless the Universities are depoliticized and are independent in their functioning, there is little hope.
I recently met a very passionate and established geo physicist in Europe and he mentioned that in most countries in Europe and in India, sadly, very less attention is paid to fundamental sciences. Most students take up higher education in engineering and technology. I couldn't agree more. Deep research in basic sciences is the need of the hour, research that will bring fundamental changes and not mere applications of existing technology. Schools have a major role to play in creating the 'spark' in children to explore and not merely learn by rote.
I totally disagree with the first comment that IIT grads can't win a Nobel prize and his argument which falls flat on the face. All you've to look for is the Nobel prize winners from MIT which is similar to IIT.
Dear Dr. Christie,
IIT stands for Indian Institute of Technology, please make sure you read the last word,i.e. TECHNOLOGY. IIT produces B.Tech student and I don't have to elaborate the list of companies that students from IIT are dominating. Nobel prize is not a stamp that a particular institute need to be called as scientific giant. Stanford for e.g. may have several Nobel laureate but most of them were hired after they have received Nobel prize so as to make sure that Stanford keep its place safe in ivy league. Indian are proud of IIT, and please update your knowledge, IISCs are much older and established institute compared to IITs and they have never received any Nobel does that mean they are doing fake science. Please choose your words properly before making vague comments.
I agree that research requires lot of passion and committment towards working towards the answer to a proposed question. Indeed the new generation requires a curriculum that makes them good thinkers.
If only we parents would stop pushing our children into strait-jackets of cliched career choices we would certainly produce the original thinkers that Prof Venky has wisely spoken about.
I think to make a research friendly environment in India we must increase the institutions working in the areas of basic sciences instead of making the Technological institutions like IITs. The scholarships like Kishor Vaignyanik Protsahan Yojana motivates the students inclined towards research in the basic sciences.Indian government must increase the institutions like TIFR and Indian Institute Of Science.
Only hard work pay in the long run..As Prof. Venky mensioned in this article, nothing is wrong with the Indian science. The problem is with the working facilities and environment..
Venkatraman Ramakrishnan is the 7th Indian to win the Nobel Prize, after Rabindranath Tagore. Proud and thoroughly inspired with the presence of such personalities.
On more than one occasion Prof. Venky Ramakrishnan while responding to the question of the magic behind winning Nobel Prize has asserted the importance of hard work and the right environment. Prof.Venky's words illustrates that laurels of success follow the one with the passion to work hard to achieve the well thought out target. It is for us to take cue from his wise words and provide those with the passion to work 'the right place to pursue their interests." Prof.Venky's reasoning for his choice of Biological sciences over Physics that in Physics "it is really going to require amazingly smart and original thinkers" to solve the fundamental problems underscores the importance of objective evaluation of oneself while taking important decisions. In fact every student should listen to the noble words of the Professor to rightly understand the values of hard work and decision making in one's life.
Mr. Venkataraman is absolutely right. If you want to succeed in your career you should not only have hard work in your repertoire but also passion in what you are doing.
As Prof.Venky Ramakrishnan points out that for a researcher a conducive environment is more important than a most prestigious place and also the field to suit the researcher's interest not one that comes to him just for the sake of reaearch.
Highest respect for your work. Prof. Ramakrishnan.
The advise of Prof Venky is startlingly similar to the Bhagavad Gita's injunction: 'do work without expectation of results'. Do I see science and spirituality meet at the hallowed Nobel chambers.
Its proud to know Indians of such a great caliber and its a fantastic feat when they share their intellect with younger generation.
By indirectly referring to the supposedly top-rated IITs in India, with his, "It does not necessarily mean the most prestigious place, but it has to be one with a very good intellectual environment for your work." Dr. Venky makes the point that the IIT grads can NEVER win a Nobel Prize since these institutions manufacture ONLY top technologists and engineers, who cannot achieve any breakthroughs in fundamental sciences like physics, chemistry, and Biology. The Arts colleges are in a much better and enviable position to inspire the young minds to imaginative science whereas the IITs are more attuned to imparting a high quality education to the cream of the crop students out of high schools, to start with. In that sense the IITs haven't achieved anything superlatively spectacular
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