Jayant Vishnu Narlikar (1938-2025) was a distinguished Indian astrophysicist and emeritus professor known for his significant contributions to cosmology and astronomy .
Key Contributions and Accomplishments:
- Hoyle-Narlikar Theory: Narlikar, in collaboration with Sir Fred Hoyle, developed the Hoyle-Narlikar theory of gravity, an alternative to the Big Bang theory . This theory proposed a universe with no beginning or end, maintaining a steady state through the continuous creation of matter .
- Challenging the Big Bang: He was a proponent of alternative models to the widely accepted Big Bang theory . His work included the quasi-steady state cosmology (QSSC), which suggested periodic mini-creation events instead of a single Big Bang . Narlikar also calculated the probability of the universe having a singular or non-singular beginning .
- Institution Building: Narlikar founded the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune and helped it become a respected research and teaching center .
- Science Communication: He was dedicated to making science accessible to the public, authoring books in English and Marathi to popularize science .
- Awards and Recognition: Narlikar received several prestigious honors, including the Padma Bhushan in 1965, the Padma Vibhushan in 2004, and the Maharashtra Bhushan in 2011 . In 2014, his autobiography won the Sahitya Akademi Award .
Jayant Narlikar’s work and legacy have left a lasting impact on the scientific community in India and beyond .to know more about Eminent personality click www.eminentnews.com
