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All his life, Dr Jayant Narlikar waged a quiet yet unyielding war — a war to defend science from the creeping shadows of superstition, to uphold reason in a world teetering towards irrationality. The eminent astrophysicist, celebrated science writer and torchbearer of rational thought stood as a sentinel, guarding the borders between truth and pseudoscience, between enlightenment and obscurantism, between humanity and authoritarianism.
When he breathed his last in Pune on Tuesday, at the age of 87, it was not just the passing of a scientist — it was the silencing of a conscience. For many of his students, admirers and fellow seekers of knowledge, his departure felt tragically mistimed. At a time when society grapples with the tension between critical inquiry and unquestioning belief, his voice — measured, fearless, and rooted in logic — was perhaps more vital than ever.
His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully in his sleep. He is survived by his three daughters.
Born on July 19, 1938, in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, Jayant Vishnu Narlikar was destined to live a life steeped in the pursuit of knowledge. He was raised on the intellectually vibrant campus of Banaras Hindu University (BHU), where his father Vishnu Vasudeva Narlikar served as Professor and Head of the Mathematics Department.
After an exceptional academic run through school and college, Narlikar earned his BSc from BHU in 1957. The next chapter of his life unfolded in the hallowed halls of Cambridge University, where he would ascend to rarefied academic heights. He became a Wrangler, a Tyson Medallist in the Mathematical Tripos, and recipient of the prestigious Smith’s Prize (1962) and Adams Prize (1967). By the time he completed his PhD in 1963, under the mentorship of the legendary Sir Fred Hoyle, Narlikar had already begun shaping his own cosmological worldview — one that would challenge some of the most entrenched scientific doctrines of his time.
Staying on at Cambridge as a Fellow of King’s College and a founding member of the Institute of Theoretical Astronomy, Narlikar worked closely with Hoyle to develop alternative cosmological models that questioned the dominant big bang theory. His work during this period laid the foundation for what would become a lifelong scientific mission — to explore the very fabric and origin of the universe with fearless originality.
Founder of astronomy & astrophysics centre
In 1972, Narlikar made the significant decision to return to India, joining the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR). There, he nurtured and expanded the Theoretical Astrophysics Group, elevating it to global recognition. His return marked not a retreat from international science, but an audacious move to build India’s own centers of excellence in astrophysics. In 1988, he was invited by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to establish the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune. As its founding director until 2003, he transformed IUCAA into a world-class institution for research and teaching in astronomy. His vision of a collaborative, inclusive, and intellectually fertile space has since inspired a generation of Indian astrophysicists.
Narlikar’s legacy is not confined to observatories and laboratories. He was a tireless science communicator who believed that the scientific temperament should not be a privilege of the elite. Through his popular science books, television programmes, newspaper columns, and even science fiction stories, he reached young readers and curious minds across India. His ability to explain complex phenomena with clarity and wit earned him the UNESCO Kalinga Award in 1996 for popularising science.
The challenger
Equally fascinating was his work in space microbiology. Beginning in 1999, he led a pioneering multi-institutional initiative that sent balloons 41 kilometres into the stratosphere to collect air samples. The 2001 and 2005 missions retrieved living cells and bacteria from these extreme altitudes, raising profound questions about the origins of life on Earth. Could life itself have extra-terrestrial beginnings? In pursuing such bold scientific inquiries, Narlikar showed that imagination was not the enemy of science, but its essential ally.
Internationally, Narlikar stood apart not only for his groundbreaking work on cosmology, gravity, and Mach’s Principle, but also for his willingness to challenge the mainstream. As President of the Cosmology Commission of the International Astronomical Union (1994–1997), and as a Fellow of all three Indian science academies and the Third World Academy of Sciences, he remained a respected voice for scientific pluralism and intellectual courage. Awards like the MP Birla Prize, Prix Janssen of the French Astronomical Society, and his associations with institutions like the Royal Astronomical Society of London, only underscore the global esteem in which he was held.
Recognitions
For his towering contributions, the accolades followed: the Padma Bhushan in 1965 at just 26 years of age, the Padma Vibhushan in 2004, and Maharashtra’s highest civilian honour, the Maharashtra Bhushan, in 2011. In 2014, his autobiography, written in Marathi, was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Prize, reflecting the literary grace with which he chronicled a life in science.
Published on May 20, 2025
This article first appeared on The Hindu Business Line
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