LIRC@SFIT

Dr. Jayant Vishnu Narlikar, a distinguished Indian astrophysicist and science communicator, passed away on May 20, 2025, in Pune at the age of 87. Renowned for his significant contributions to cosmology and his efforts to popularize science, Dr. Narlikar's legacy continues to inspire generations. 🌌 A Life Dedicated to Science Dr. Narlikar's academic journey began at Banaras Hindu University, followed by a stellar tenure at Cambridge University, where he earned his Ph.D. under the mentorship of Sir Fred Hoyle. His research challenged prevailing cosmological models, notably proposing alternatives to the Big Bang theory, such as the Steady State and Quasi-Steady State models. He served as the founding director of the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune, significantly advancing India's position in global astrophysical research. 📚 A Prolific Writer and Educator Beyond his scientific endeavors, Dr. Narlikar was a prolific writer, authoring ...

Kang is acclaimed for her key role in the development of Rotavac, India’s first indigenously developed vaccine for rotavirus infections Gagandeep Kang, 56, is Director of the Translational Health  Science and Technology  Institute (THSTI) in Faridabad. Acclaimed for her key role in the development of Rotavac, India’s first indigenously developed vaccine for rotavirus infections, Kang was recently awarded Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS), United Kingdom — the first Indian woman scientist to be thus feted. In an interview, she spoke about the challenges of being a woman scientist in India and why the country would do well with a 40% job reservation for women. Excerpts: Do you think the ‘woman scientist tag’ occludes your achievements as a scientist? I was once awarded a ‘Woman Bioscientist of the Year’ prize. The first time I got it, I thought, ‘That’s nice,’ but I’d rather be competing on a stage where gender doesn’t matter. The nice thing about the FRS is that th...