Ramanathan was born in Kalpathi, Palakkad to Ramakrishna Sastrigal, an astrologer, printer and Sanskrit scholar.

He established Dobson ozone spectrophotometer stations in India and expanded on his earlier researches into atmospheric ozone; among his major contributions to the field was elucidating the relationship of atmospheric ozone in connection to atmospheric circulation. The author of this article has had some memorable experiences with him.

In 1977, the National Science Academy awarded him the Aryabhatt Medal. Prof Ramanathan’s birthday also falls on the same day.

During this time he got many opportunities to know him from close quarters. He travelled across the kingdom and developed the first rainfall map of Travancore; in conjunction with this study, he published his first research paper: "On Thunderstorms over Trivandrum."^[4] In late 1921, Ramanathan moved to Calcutta to collaborate with C. V. Raman, who had accepted him as a doctoral student, on studies of X-ray diffraction in liquids.

He also attended the Eighth General meeting of the International Geology and Geophysics Society at Norway (Oslo). At the college, Ramanathan enjoyed the freedom to conduct his own investigations and to hone his laboratory skills. Meanwhile, with the unexpected death of Dr. Homi Bhabha, Chairman of India’s Atomic Energy Commission in a plane accident, The commission’s charge was already the Chairman of the Space Research Organisation, besides being the Director of PRL.

He had to shoulder the responsibilities of three institutions. In 1922, while examining the scattering of light in water as part of collaborative work, he observed shifts in the color of scattered light, initially attributing them to fluorescence, though these findings were later recognized as early evidence connected to the Raman Effect discovered in 1928.

These findings were derived from zenith sky intensity measurements analyzed via Dobson's Umkehr methods, providing early insights into how large-scale atmospheric dynamics influence ozone transport in tropical regions.^[12][1]Ramanathan identified quasi-biennial oscillations in total ozone levels over India, a discovery published in 1963 that highlighted periodic fluctuations aligning with the quasi-biennial winds in the equatorial stratosphere.

degree from the University of Madras in June 1922, marking the first such doctoral award by the university.^[1][4][5][6]Ramanathan's formative years were profoundly influenced by immersion in European physics literature, such as works on optics and electromagnetism, encountered during his Presidency College coursework, alongside the inspirational milieu of India's emerging scientific community in the early 20th century.^[1]

Professional Career

Tenure at India Meteorological Department

In 1925, at the age of 32, K.

R. Ramanathan resigned from his position as assistant professor of physics at the University of Rangoon to join the India Meteorological Department (IMD) as a senior scientist, following an invitation from the department.^[1][7] His early training in physics equipped him with strong skills in instrumentation, which proved invaluable in meteorological applications during his tenure.^[1]Ramanathan advanced through several key positions at the IMD, including Director of the Agra Observatory (1925–1928), Director of the Colaba and Alibag Magnetic Observatories in Bombay, Director of the Solar Physics Observatory at Kodaikanal, Superintending Meteorologist at Poona, and Officer on Special Duty in Delhi.^[7] He also served as Assistant Meteorological Adviser to the Government of India and officiated multiple times as Director-General before his retirement in February 1948 at age 55.^[8] In these roles, he provided leadership in establishing and modernizing observatories, including efforts to make facilities like Colaba, Alibag, and Kodaikanal more autonomous, laying the groundwork for institutions such as the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics.^[1]He conducted extensive research on monsoon dynamics, analyzing the structure of Indian southwest monsoon circulation, depressions, and cyclonic storms, including notable cases like the Madras storm of 1929 and Bay of Bengal disturbances.^[7] His studies also explored correlations between sea surface temperatures and rainfall patterns, contributing to a better understanding of thermal influences on monsoon variability.^[1]In the late 1930s and 1940s, Ramanathan pioneered ozone monitoring in India, initiating observations and overseeing the setup of Dobson ozone spectrophotometers at key stations including Kodaikanal, Pune, and Delhi by 1940.^[1] These efforts established a national network for total ozone measurements, with corrections for aerosol scattering implemented by the mid-1940s, enhancing data accuracy for atmospheric research.^[1]Ramanathan's upper-air investigations included balloon-borne measurements from sounding ascents at Agra (1925–1928) and Poona/Hyderabad (1928–1931), which provided critical data on temperatures and humidities up to 25 km.^[1][7] These expeditions led to his discovery of the equatorial minimum in stratospheric temperatures, illustrated in diagrams of upper-air distributions that revealed lower stratospheric cooling near the equator and variations in the tropopause and subtropical jet stream.^[1]

Leadership at Physical Research Laboratory

In 1947, Vikram Sarabhai founded the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad to advance research in cosmic rays and atmospheric sciences, and he soon invited K.

R. Ramanathan, whom he had met during a visit to the Indian Meteorological Department in Poona, to serve as its first full-time director upon Ramanathan's retirement from government service.^[9] Ramanathan assumed the directorship in 1948 and held the position until 1966, guiding the institution through its formative years as it shifted focus toward advanced studies in space physics and upper atmospheric phenomena.^[1] Drawing on his prior experience with atmospheric instrumentation at the IMD, he emphasized the recruitment of young scientists and postgraduate students to build a dedicated research cadre, fostering an environment of intellectual autonomy and innovation.^[10][1]Under Ramanathan's leadership, PRL expanded its facilities significantly, acquiring essential equipment such as ionosondes for ionospheric monitoring and cosmic ray detectors to support ground-based observations of the upper atmosphere.^[11] He established robust research programs centered on upper atmospheric dynamics, including pioneering efforts in rocket sounding experiments to probe ionospheric and magnetospheric layers beyond traditional balloon-based methods.^[1] These initiatives marked a departure from meteorological forecasting toward fundamental space science, with PRL collaborating closely with early space research entities in India, such as those that would evolve into the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).^[11] A pivotal contribution was PRL's advisory role, under Ramanathan's guidance, in selecting the Thumba site near Thiruvananthapuram for the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in 1962, chosen for its proximity to the magnetic equator to facilitate equatorial ionospheric studies.^[1]In 1966, Ramanathan transitioned from director to Professor Emeritus at PRL, a role he maintained until his death in 1984, providing continued oversight and mentorship to over 30 PhD scholars during this period.^[1] His stewardship transformed PRL from a modest laboratory housed initially in Sarabhai's residence into a major national center for space sciences, laying the groundwork for India's indigenousspace program through sustained institutional growth and interdisciplinary research emphasis.^[9][1]

Scientific Contributions

Meteorological and Atmospheric Research

K.

This fuelled his interest in meteorology and also gave him some experience. He guided over 30 research scholars during his scientific career. Yet again, he patiently carried on, showing no signs of breakdown.

Ramanathan always showed courage during difficult times.