Jayant Narlikar.
Source: Facebook/Krishna Kumar.
Mumbai: When Jayant Narlikar went to Cambridge University in the late fifties and sixties, he came in contact with several legends including the late Stephen Hawking, the legendary English theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author.
During the summer vacation at Royal Greenwich Observatory, the students had arranged a table tennis tournament. "In the final, I was playing against Hawking and I defeated him,” Narlikar said when Hawking, his junior, passed away in 2018.
Dr Narlikar along with English astronomer and his mentor Sir Fred Hoyle formulated what is known as the Hoyle–Narlikar theory of gravity which challenged the popular Big Bang, the theory dwelling on the formation of the Universe.
This bold alternative to the Big Bang theory proposed a universe in constant expansion with continuous matter creation, sparking debates that enriched cosmological discourse.
In fact, it would not be wrong to say that Dr Narlikar looked at the stars and rewrote the story of the cosmos.
Dr Narlikar was the Emeritus-Professor at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune.
“As we mourn Dr Narlikar’s loss, it is also a time to reflect and celebrate a life of extraordinary intellect, curiosity, and dedication to unravelling the mysteries of the cosmos. His contributions to theoretical astrophysics, his role in nurturing scientific talent in India, and his efforts to make science accessible to all will continue to inspire generations,” said Shivaprasad Khened, the former Director of Nehru Science Centre-Mumbai and Nehru Science Centre-Delhi.
Dr Narlikar was 86.
He is survived by three daughters - Geeta, Girija and Leelavati.
His wife Dr Mangala Narlikar, an eminent mathematician and educationalist, passed away 17 July, 2023.
“Dr Narlikar was a science communicator par excellence. He spoke on complex subjects in the language of the common people,” said Suhas Naik-Satam, General Secretary, National Centre for Science Communicators. “His books like The Return of Vaman, The Adventure, The Comet are very popular,” he added.
"Dr. Narlikar’s work extended beyond cosmology to profound contributions in understanding black holes and active galactic nuclei. His concept of “self-gravitating systems” illuminated the gravitational dynamics around black holes, while his “magnetic field ejection model” offered insights into the behaviour of energetic galactic sources. These contributions, alongside his mentorship of countless scientists, cemented his reputation as a global leader in astrophysics,” added Khened.
Narlikar was born on July 19, 1938 in Kolhapur, Maharashtra and received his early education in the campus of Banaras Hindu University (BHU), where his father Vishnu Vasudeva Narlikar was Professor and Head of the Mathematics Department. His mother Sumati Narlikar was a Sanskrit scholar.
After a brilliant career in school and college, Narlikar got his B.Sc. degree at BHU in 1957. He went to Cambridge for higher studies, becoming a Wrangler and Tyson Medallist in the Mathematical Tripos. He distinguished himself at Cambridge with the Smith’s Prize in 1962 and the Adams Prize in 1967. He later stayed on at Cambridge till 1972, as Fellow of King’s College (1963-72) and Founder Staff Member of the Institute of Theoretical Astronomy (1966-72).
Narlikar returned to India to join the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbai, where he worked between 1972-1989.
In 1988 the University Grants Commission invited him to set up the proposed IUCAA)as its Founder Director.
He received the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 2014 for his Marathi-language autobiography, "Chaar Nagrantale Majhe Vishwa" (A Tale of Four Cities).
He presided over the 94th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan held at Nashik in January 2021.
He is a recipient of Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan award He was also honoured with Maharashtra Bhushan award.
Narlikar once appeared in Carl Sagan's television series 'Cosmos: A Personal Voyage' in the 1980s.