Venkatraman Ramakrishnan - People Quotes

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Scientists are trained to be rational and we are not trained to interact with people and develop social skills. Politics is about being able to convince people. Scientists could do with learning how to do that.

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan
My own lab has two Chinese, a Malaysian, a Canadian, an American, a German, it has had all sorts of people. And it's actually fun because people from different countries come together, they have cultural exchanges, they learn more about each others' countries and way of life. Science is a great international mixer, so the idea that it is a sort of cricket match where our team won — that simply is a wrong way of looking at scientific discovery.

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan
It's an absolutely good thing. I can think of one even better thing for young people, especially in India. It shows them you can study in India, get your basic education in India and you can (then) do whatever you want after that. That's a very important message.

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan
People go into science out of curiosity, not to win awards. But scientists are human and have ambitions. Even the best scientists are often insecure and feel the need for recognition.

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan
There are already people who are world class in India, for example C. N. R. Rao (who has worked mainly in solid-state and structural chemistry). He is an example of how you can do first rate international work within India. So I would say to Indians — you have it within you to do this (in India).

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan
Last year, the lecture was held in [an auditorium] with a capacity for just 300 people, and half the seats were empty. What has changed? I am still the same person doing the same science. Why are people so impressed when some academy in Sweden gives an award?

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan
This reconnection... has given me great satisfaction. I realise I have inadvertently become a source of inspiration and hope for people in India simply by the fact that I grew up there, went to my local university, but could go on to do well internationally. The Nobel, he says, is not just an affirmation of his past work; it's an encouragement to keep working on interesting problems.

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan