Google Doodle celebrates Anna Mani, Know about her

Google Doodle is celebrating the 104th birth anniversary of Indian physicist and meteorologist Anna Mani, one of the country’s first female scientists whose life’s work enabled India to make accurate weather forecasts.

An avid reader, Mani had read all the books in the public library by the time she turned 12, showing her intellectual prowess at a tender age. She was also an icon for the women’s empowerment movement in the country as she fought against patriarchy and ultimately became a leader in a field dominated by men.

She was one of India’s first female scientists and served as Deputy Director General of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

Mani’s contributions to weather forecasting were immense and her research made it possible for India to make accurate weather predictions. Along with this, she also published various works on solar radiation, ozone and wind energy instruments. Her work paved the way for the nation to harness renewable energy.

In 1940, Mani won a research fellowship at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. Here, she studied spectroscopy under Nobel laureate Sir C V Raman, specializing in diamonds and rubies. Following this, she proceeded to Imperial College London in 1945, where she would specialize in meteorological instrumentation.

She graduated from Chennai in physics and chemistry and in 1940 she won a research fellowship at the Indian Institute of Science. She went on to study physics at Imperial College London but then turned to meteorological instruments.

Before pursuing her studies, she had also taught at the WCC. At IIS, she studied spectroscopy with Sir C. V. Raman.

She returned to India in 1948 with the goal of helping the then-impoverished country make its own meteorological instruments. She excelled at her intended target of hers. She standardized nearly 100 meteorological instruments for her production in India. She set up a workshop that made instruments to measure wind speed and solar energy.

In addition to IMD, Anna Mani was also associated with the United Nations World Meteorological Organization, where she held many key positions due to her unique talent and skills.

Due to her remarkable contributions to the field of science and technology, Anna Mani was honoured with the INSA KR Ramanathan Medal in 1987. After retiring from it, Anna Mani became a trustee of the Raman Research Institute in Bengaluru.

It lived up to expectations and produced nearly 100 meteorological instruments for India. He later set up a workshop that produced instruments to measure wind speed and solar energy.

While her entire life was inspiring, we can pick out a few events that made her world famous. Anna, a physicist with Gandhian values, used to wear Khadi clothes. As well as being a prolific scientist, she was also a patriotic citizen who left a lucrative lifestyle abroad to work for India.

She was a supporter of alternative energy sources. In 1950, she created a network of solar radiation monitoring stations and published many articles on sustainable energy measurement. The measurement of weather forecasting has been one of her greatest contributions.

In 1987, she became Deputy Director General of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and received the K.R Ramanathan Medal from the Indian National Academy of Sciences (INSA), for her contributions to the country and to science. In 2001, on August 16, she died in Thiruvananthapuram Kerala.

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