Fellows of the Royal Society

The Royal Society, founded in 1660, is one of the oldest and most prestigious scientific institutions in the world. It is headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The society is dedicated to promoting excellence in science and recognizing outstanding contributions to scientific research. One of the highest honours bestowed by the Royal Society is the title of Fellow (FRS). Fellows are elected by their peers for their exceptional achievements in science, engineering, and medicine.

History

The concept of electing Fellows to the Royal Society dates back to its founding. The first Fellows were nominated by the Council of the Royal Society and approved by the King. Over time, the election process has evolved, with Fellows being nominated and elected by existing members of the society. The first Indian to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society was Ardaseer Cursetjee, a shipbuilder and engineer, in 1841.

Election Process

To become a Fellow of the Royal Society, a candidate must be nominated by two existing Fellows who are experts in the nominee’s field of research. The nomination is then reviewed by a sectional committee, which assesses the candidate’s scientific achievements and contributions to their field. If the sectional committee approves the nomination, it is forwarded to the Council of the Royal Society for final consideration. The Council then votes on the nomination, and if successful, the candidate is elected as a Fellow.

Notable Indian Fellows

Several eminent Indian scientists have been elected as Fellows of the Royal Society. Some notable examples include:

• Sir C.V. Raman (1888-1970): Nobel laureate in Physics (1930) for his work on the scattering of light and the discovery of the Raman effect.
• Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (1910-1995): Nobel laureate in Physics (1983) for his theoretical studies of the physical processes of importance to the structure and evolution of the stars.
• Venkatraman Ramakrishnan (1952-): Nobel laureate in Chemistry (2009) for his studies of the structure and function of the ribosome.
• Satyendra Nath Bose (1894-1974): Renowned physicist known for his work on quantum mechanics and the Bose-Einstein statistics.
• Har Gobind Khorana (1922-2011): Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine (1968) for his interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis.

Privileges and Responsibilities

Fellows of the Royal Society are entitled to use the post-nominal letters “FRS” after their names. They also have the opportunity to participate in the society’s activities, including attending meetings, serving on committees, and contributing to policy discussions. Fellows are expected to uphold the highest standards of scientific integrity and to promote the advancement of science for the benefit of humanity.