Sabyasachi Chatterjee obtained his PhD in condensed matter physics from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. He now works at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics. His current interests are in the areas of galactic physics and optics. He is also active in the teaching and popularising of science.

Michael Faraday began his studies on electricity in 1821, i.e. a year after Oersted’s discovery of magnetic effects of electric currents. What prompted Faraday to make these studies was not any special interest he had in the field but that he was requested by his friend R Phillips to write a historical account of the work on electricity and magnetism for the journal Annals of Philosophy. In 1821, Faraday’s career as a scientist stood at the crossroads. Son of a poor blacksmith, Faraday had been earning his living as a bookbinder, since his childhood. He not only bound books but also read them. Later he attended the lectures by Humphry Davy at the Royal Institution and surprised Davy by producing a summary of his lectures. Impressed by the young lad’s ability to appreciate the core of scientific problems, Davy offered Faraday a job in 1813 at the Royal Institution.

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Address for Correspondence
S Chatterjee
Indian Institute of Astrophysics
Bangalore 560 034, India.
Email: chat@bgl.vsnl.net.in , chat@iiap.ernet.in