Robert K. Merton was an American sociologist, best known as the ‘father of modern sociology.’ He is also known for his significant contributions to criminology. Born in a family of Russian Jews in Philadelphia, which had migrated to the United States in 1904, Robert was raised in a poor family. His father never had a stable job, but Robert said that he did not feel that he lacked anything as a kid. During his teenage years, he became interested in magic, but while attending ‘Temple University,’ he got interested in sociology. He later worked as a research assistant to the famous sociologist sociology Pitrim A. Sorokin at Harvard. Throughout his career, he published 50 papers on the sociology of science. He later became a professor of sociology at Harvard University, Tulane University and Columbia University. For his immense work in sociology, he received many national and international honours. In 1994, he was honoured with the ‘National Medal of Science.’