Renowned Astrophysicist Dr Jayant Narlikar Passes Away at 86 in Pune
Renowned Astrophysicist Dr Jayant Narlikar Passes Away at 86 in Pune
Pune: Eminent astrophysicist, author, and science communicator Dr. Jayant Vishnu Narlikar passed away on Tuesday at his residence in Pune. He was 86. According to his family, Dr. Narlikar breathed his last peacefully in his sleep during the early hours of the morning. He had not been suffering from any major illness.
Dr. Narlikar’s demise has been met with widespread mourning across scientific, academic, and literary communities.
Born on July 19, 1938, in Kolhapur, Dr. Narlikar came from a family deeply rooted in academics. His father, Professor Vishnu Vasudev Narlikar, was a noted mathematician and headed the mathematics department at Banaras Hindu University. His mother, Sumati Narlikar, was a Sanskrit scholar. Jayant Narlikar completed his schooling in Varanasi and went on to pursue higher studies in the UK, earning his BSc and later attending Cambridge University.
His contributions to astrophysics were globally recognized, particularly for his work alongside British astrophysicist Sir Fred Hoyle. Together, they worked on several important cosmological theories.
In 1988, Dr. Narlikar founded the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune and served as its first director.
Beyond his scientific research, Dr. Narlikar was also a prolific science writer. He authored numerous books, essays, and science fiction stories in both English and Marathi. In recognition of his efforts to popularize science, he was awarded several prestigious honors including the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan.
His wife, Mangala Narlikar, a noted mathematician, passed away two years ago. Dr. Narlikar’s passing marks the end of an era in Indian science and literature.
