Professor Emeritus, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (retired June 30, 2017)
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H. C. Verma is an Indian experimental nuclear physicist, author of two‑volume Concepts of Physics, IIT Kanpur emeritus professor, and Padma Shri awardee recognized for transforming physics education through books, experiments, and outreach efforts.
73 years
1952-04-03
B.Sc. (Hons.), M.Sc., Ph.D. (Thesis on Mössbauer spectroscopy in metals)
B.Sc. (Hons.) in Physics, Patna Science College (ranked 3rd)
Full Name: Harish Chandra Verma
Nickname: H. C. Verma, “HCV”
Country/State: India
Date of Birth: 1952-04-03
Languages Known: Hindi, English
Zodiac Sign: Aries
Food Habit: Not publicly documented
Religion: Not publicly documented
Hobbies: Teaching, conducting low-cost physics experiments, reading
School: Completed schooling in Patna, Bihar
College: B.Sc. (Hons.) in Physics, Patna Science College (ranked 3rd)
Degrees Obtained: B.Sc. (Hons.), M.Sc., Ph.D. (Thesis on Mössbauer spectroscopy in metals)
Height: 168 cm
Weight: 55 kg
Parents: Ganesh Prasad Verma (teacher); Mother – Ramvati Verma
Siblings: Devi Prasad Verma (professor)
Marital Status: not_married
Wife:
Children: 0
Current Position: Professor Emeritus, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (retired June 30, 2017)
Skills:
Net Worth:
Awards & Achievements: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Shiksha Puraskar (Bihar, 2017) Padma Shri, Government of India (2021) for contributions to science & engineering
Harish Chandra Verma, fondly known as H. C. Verma or HCV, is a distinguished Indian experimental nuclear physicist and beloved educator. Born on April 3, 1952, in Darbhanga, Bihar, into a teacher’s family, he overcame early academic struggles to rank third in his university B.Sc. program at Patna Science College. He then secured admission to IIT Kanpur, where he earned an M.Sc. with a 9.9/10 performance index and completed his Ph.D. within three years focusing on Mössbauer spectroscopy in metals. Verma began his teaching career at Patna Science College (1980–1994), where he noticed gaps in physics education caused by language and cultural barriers in standard textbooks. To bridge this gap, he authored the two-volume Concepts of Physics, which revolutionized physics learning in India with its clarity, cultural context, and challenging problems. These books became essential for IIT‑JEE aspirants and are widely revered. In 1994, he joined IIT Kanpur as a faculty member, conducting research in experimental nuclear physics and supervising graduate and doctoral students. Over three decades, he published 139 research papers and developed over 600 low-cost physics experiments to support hands-on learning. He was instrumental in establishing the National Anveshika Network of India (22+ centers today) and co-founded Shiksha Sopan, an NGO offering free education to disadvantaged students. Professor Verma retired on June 30, 2017, and was honored with the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Shiksha Puraskar by Bihar in 2017. In 2021, he received the Padma Shri for his immense contribution to science education. Through his books, experiments, courses, and outreach, Harish Chandra Verma has earned the affectionate title “God of Indian Physics,” deeply impacting thousands of students and educators across the nation.
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