Professor Jayant Vishnu Narlikar received the first Astronomical Society of India Govind Swarup Lifetime Achievement Award in Pune. He is a highly accomplished astronomer who founded Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune and previously served as the President of the ASI.
Prof. Jayant Vishnu Narlikar gets the first #Astronomical Society of India Govind Swarup Lifetime Achievement #Award in #Pune
President of the #ASI, Prof. Dipankar Banerjee handed over the award announced earlier to Prof. Narlikar and felicitated him
📙https://t.co/SR5auTtXu4 pic.twitter.com/1hUgNzCR0y
— PIB in Maharashtra 🇮🇳 (@PIBMumbai) May 12, 2023
The award was announced earlier this year at the 41st ASI meeting held at IIT Indore, but Professor Narlikar was unable to attend. ASI President Professor Dipankar Banerjee visited Pune to present the award to Professor Narlikar in person and honor him.
On this occasion, Professor Banerjee said, “Though their domains of work differed widely, both Prof. Swarup and Prof. Narlikar remained deeply committed to the growth of Astronomy and Astrophysics in the country by building exemplary institutions and devoting enormous efforts towards training the younger generations. They both continue to serve as illustrious role models for generations to come. It is an honour for me to hand over the award to our beloved teacher, Jayant.”
Throughout his life, Professor Narlikar has devoted himself to exploring the mysteries of the Universe and has made significant contributions to the field of Astrophysics, including the development of the Narlikar-Hoyle theory. In addition, he has used his knowledge and passion for the subject to inspire and educate many generations through his popular interactions, films, and books.
Professor Narlikar was amongst the first to initiate cosmology research in India. He was instrumental in creating a dedicated center to promote astronomy curriculum and research in Indian universities. His vision became a reality with the establishment of IUCAA.
What is the ‘Astronomical Society of India Govind Swarup Lifetime Achievement Award’?
In the year 2022, as it celebrated its golden jubilee, the Astronomical Society of India (ASI) instituted the Govind Swarup Lifetime Achievement award to acknowledge eminent Indian astronomers for their outstanding contributions to the field of Astronomy and Astrophysics in India throughout their careers.
The award was named after Professor Govind Swarup (1929-2020), who is widely recognized as the pioneer of Indian radio astronomy. Professor Swarup developed and led the construction of the Ooty Radio Telescope (ORT) and the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) using innovative and cost-effective techniques specifically designed for the Indian environment.
He was a visionary who strongly advocated for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), and also served as the founding director of the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) in Pune.
The science education institutes framework that he co-developed and proposed with Professor V. G. Bhide has materialized in the form of the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) that are now present throughout the country. The award includes a citation, a plaque, and a cash prize.