Jayant Narlikar Biography-Indian astrophysicist and cosmologist

Do you know who is Jayant Narlikar? In this article, we will delve into the life and achievements of Dr. Jayant Narlikar, the famous Indian astrophysicist and cosmologist.

Discover everything about this prominent figure in the field of cosmology and his contribution to the study of the steady state model of the universe. Get a deeper understanding of the groundbreaking work and legacy of Dr. Jayant Narlikar.

Jayant Narlikar Biography

• The famous Indian astrophysicist Dr. Jayant Narlikar was born into a family of highly educated scholars in the Kolhapur district of Maharashtra on July 19, 1938.
• Narlikar’s father was the head of the mathematics department at BHU(Banaras Hindu University), who later became the Chairman of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission.
• His mother was a Sanskrit graduate from Bombay University. She also loved English literature. V. S. Huzurbazar, a well-known statistician, was Narlikar’s maternal uncle.
• Jayant Narlikar received his early education at BHU, and after having an outstanding career in his school and college, he received his B.Sc. degree at BHU in 1957.
• Jayant Narlikar continued his studies at Cambridge University, where he became a Wrangler and Tyson Medallist in the Mathematical Tripos.
• He earned degrees in mathematics, including a B.A. in 1960, Ph.D. in 1963, M.A. in 1964, and Sc.D. in 1976, but he focused on astronomy and astrophysics.
• He was honoured with the Smith’s Prize in 1962 and the Adams Prize in 1967 for his outstanding achievements at Cambridge. From 1963 to 1972, he worked at Cambridge University as a Fellow of King’s College and as a founding staff member of the Institute of Theoretical Astronomy.
• During this period, he collaborated with his mentor Fred Hoyle on research in cosmology and astrophyssic.

Personal Life

• In 1966, Narlikar married Mangala Rajwade, a highly-regarded mathematics researcher and professor. The couple has three daughters Geeta, Girija & Leelavati, who have also pursued careers in scientific research.
• Geeta is a biomedical researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, while Girija and Leelavati are scientists at the National Chemical Laboratory. Narlikar is also the uncle of Cambridge University social sciences academic Amrita Narlikar.

Professional and Research Life

• Jayant Narlikar played a significant role in advancing astronomy and astrophysics in India. He worked at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research from 1972 to 1989 and grew the Theoretical Astrophysics Group into an internationally recognized team.
• In 1988, he was chosen by the University Grants Commission to be the founder and Director of IUCAA (known as the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics). During his time as Director until 2003, IUCAA became known worldwide for its exceptional teaching and research in astronomy and astrophysics.
• Jayant Narlikar is now Emeritus Professor at IUCAA and was honoured with the Third World Academy of Sciences Prize in 2012 for creating a centre of excellence in science.

Achievements & Awards

• Jayant Narlikar is a world-famous cosmologist who questions accepted ideas and is a leading voice in alternative cosmology models. He led the International Astronomical Union’s Cosmology Commission from 1994 to 1997 and is recognized globally for his work on the frontiers of gravity and Mach’s Principle, quantum cosmology, and action at a distance physics. He has received several awards, including the Bhatnagar and M.P. Birla Awards, and has been honoured with numerous honorary doctorates. Narlikar is also a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society of London.
• With such a broad and diverse background, it’s clear why Narlikar is considered a leading figure in cosmology. In addition to his scientific research, Narlikar is known for making science accessible to the public through his books, articles, and T.V./radio programs. He is a skilled science fiction writer and was awarded the UNESCO Kalinga Award in 1996 for his popular science works.
• Jayant Narlikar’s impact on space exploration is significant. As head of a multi-institutional team, he’s been on the cutting edge of uncovering the presence of microorganisms in the upper atmosphere. Through air sample collections in 2001 and 2005, Narlikar’s team discovered live cells and bacteria at heights of 41 km, leading to the intriguing hypothesis that life on Earth may have originated from other sources. These ground-breaking findings have sparked further study, cementing Narlikar’s reputation as a pioneering figure in space exploration and astrobiology.

• Jayant Narlikar’s contributions have been widely recognized and honoured. At age 26, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1965. He was later honoured with the Padmavibhushan in 2004. In 2011, the Government of the State of Maharashtra honoured him with the State’s highest civilian award, the Maharashtra Bhushan. The Sahitya Akademi, India’s premier literary body, also recognized his work and selected his autobiography for its highest prize in regional language (Marathi) writing in 2014.

Jayant Narlikar Invention

Jayant Narlikar is an Indian astrophysicist known for his work in the field of cosmology, particularly in the development of the “Model of Interactions”, which attempts to unify gravitation with other fundamental forces.

He has significantly contributed to studying black holes, quasars, and cosmology. However, he is not credited with inventing any specific product or device.

Jayant Narlikar Discovery

Jayant Narlikar is known for several significant contributions to astrophysics and cosmology. Some of his key discoveries include:

1. The Narlikar-Kameshwar Theory is a modified version of Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, which incorporates Mach’s principle and seeks to unify gravitation with other fundamental forces.
2. Quasar-Black Hole Connection: Narlikar is known for his work on the relationship between quasars and black holes. He has provided evidence for the existence of supermassive black holes at the centres of quasars.
3. Cosmic Evolution: Narlikar has made significant contributions to our understanding of the universe’s evolution, including the evolution of galaxies and star systems.
4. Cosmological Models: Narlikar has proposed several cosmological models that address the problem of the origin and evolution of the universe, including the steady-state and inflationary models.
5. He developed with Sir Fred Hoyle the conformal gravity theory, known as Hoyle–Narlikar theory.

These contributions have helped to advance our understanding of the universe and have earned Jayant Narlikar a prominent place in the field of astrophysics and cosmology.

Jayant Narlikar Contribution

He was the President of the Cosmology Commission of the International Astronomical Union. His research work has involved Mach’s principle, quantum cosmology, and action-at-a-distance physics.

Jayant Narlikar was part of a study which cultured microorganisms from stratospheric air samples obtained at 41 km.

Jayant Narlikar Contribution to Physics

Jayant Narlikar is a prominent Indian astrophysicist known for his contributions to cosmology and astrophysics. Some of his key contributions include:

1. Modified Theory of Gravity: Narlikar is known for his work on a modified theory of gravity that incorporates Mach’s principle and unifies gravitation with other fundamental forces.
2. Quasar-Black Hole Connection: Narlikar has made significant contributions to our understanding of the relationship between quasars and black holes and has provided evidence for the existence of supermassive black holes at the centres of quasars.
3. Cosmic Evolution: Narlikar has made important contributions to our understanding of the universe’s evolution, including the evolution of galaxies and star systems.
4. Cosmological Models: Narlikar has proposed several cosmological models that address the problem of the origin and evolution of the universe, including the steady-state and inflationary models.

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