Eminent cosmologist and Padma Vibhushan awardee Jayant Narlikat passes away

New Delhi (India) May 20: On Tuesday, 87-year-old astrophysicist Jayant Vishnu Narlikar passed away in Pune. He was the first director of the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA). Mr. Narlikar was also a leader in Indian science and a skilled scientific researcher.

He received the Kalinga Award for Science Popularisation from UNESCO in 1996.

He received India's third-highest civilian honour, the Padma Bhushan, in 1965 when he was just 26 years old. In 2004, he received India's second-highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over his passing and said,“The passing of Dr. Jayant Narlikar is a monumental loss to the scientific community. He was a luminary, especially in the field of astrophysics. His pioneering works, especially key theoretical frameworks, will be valued by generations of researchers. He made a mark as an institution builder, grooming centres of learning and innovation for young minds. His writings have also gone a long way in making science accessible to common citizens. Condolences to his family and friends in this hour of grief.”

The best-known contribution of Dr. Narlikar is the Hoyle-Narlikar theory, which was created in the 1960s in partnership with British astrophysicist Sir Fred Hoyle.

Mr. Narlikar's alternative cosmological theories, which questioned the popular Big Bang hypothesis, earned him international recognition. He examined action-at-a-distance physics, quantum cosmology, gravity, and Mach's Principle. From 1994 to 1997, he led the International Astronomical Union's Cosmology Commission.

Mr. Narlikar also led the Theoretical Astrophysics Group at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR). He received an invitation from the University Grants Commission in 1988 to establish the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune and served as its first director until 2003.He also published books of science fiction, articles, and television and radio shows in Marathi, Hindi, and English.

Aadrika Tayal