Who is Jayant Narlikar? Padma Vibhushan Honoree, Dies at 87

Jayant Narlikar: Renowned astronomer, Padma Vibhushan recipient, and scientific communicator, Dr. Jayant Narlikar died Tuesday in Pune at the age of 87. According to the media sources, he passed away in his sleep early on Tuesday morning. He used to live with his three daughters and has just had hip surgery in a city hospital. Dr. Narlikar was a prominent person in Indian science who established prestigious research institutes in the nation and made groundbreaking discoveries in cosmology. He also worked to popularize science.

Early Life of Dr. Narlikar:
Dr. Narlikar was born on July 19, 1938, and finished his early schooling at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), where his father, Vishnu Vasudeva Narlikar, was a professor and the head of the mathematics department. He then continued his education at Cambridge, where he earned the Wrangler and Tyson Medals in mathematics.

He went back to India to work at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (1972–1989), where he oversaw the growth and international recognition of the Theoretical Astrophysics Group. Dr. Narlikar was asked by the University Grants Commission in 1988 to serve as the Founder Director of the projected Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA).

Until his retirement in 2003, he served as IUCAA’s director. IUCAA has gained a global reputation as a center for excellence in astronomy and astrophysics research and teaching under his leadership. The report also stated that he was an Emeritus Professor at IUCAA. Dr. Narlikar received a prize from the Third World Academy of Sciences in 2012 for establishing a center for scientific excellence.

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Famous Science Fiction Stories:

Dr. Narlikar gained fame not only for his research but also for writing science fiction stories and articles. He entertained audiences through radio and TV programs. In 1996, UNESCO honored him with the Kalinga Award for his popular science work.

In 1965, Dr. Narlikar received the Padma Bhushan at the young age of 26. He earned the Padma Vibhushan in 2004, and in 2011, the Maharashtra government awarded him the Maharashtra Bhushan, the state’s highest civilian honor. In 2014, the Sahitya Akademi, India’s premier literary association, gave his autobiography the highest award for regional language (Marathi) writing.