The department of Physics and its laboratories were set up in 1922 by the benign contribution of the Princely State of Mayurbhanj. Prof. S. C. Majumdar was the first Head of the Department. The courses taught during that time were Intermediate science and pass courses for Bachelor’s degree. Honours course in Physics was introduced in 1930. The post-graduate studies started in 1951 and the M.Phil program in 1982. All the courses were affiliated to Utkal University until 15th November 2006, when Ravenshaw became a University. The Department has bred glorious luminaries such as Padma Bhushan Prof. J. C. Pati, Prof. R. N. Mohapatra, Padma Bhusan Prof. Trilochan Pradhan, Prof. Ajit Mohanty (Director, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre).