According to family sources, Narlikar died in his sleep and is survived by his three daughters.
Jayant Vishnu Narlikar, a renowned astrophysicist and founding director of the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) passed away in Pune on Tuesday at the age of 87. According to family sources, Narlikar died in his sleep and is survived by his three daughters.
Narlikar was born on July 19, 1938 in Kolhapur. He pursued his undergraduate degree from Banaras Hindu University before moving on to Cambridge University for higher studies. While pursuing his higher education, he earned distinction as a Wrangler and Tyson Medallist in the Mathematical tripos.
He later returned to India and worked at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research from 1972 to 1989. Narlikar founded the IUCAA in 1988 and served as its head until his retirement in 2003.
From pioneering efforts in science and cosmology to providing an alternative to the big bang theory, Narlikar received several honours including Padma Bhushan in 1965 at just 26 years of age and the Padma Vibhushan in 2004. He was also awarded the Kalinga prize by UNESCO for the popularisation of science in 1996.
In 2012, the Third World Academy of Sciences awarded Narlikar their prize for setting up a centre for excellence in science.
Beyond traditional science, he was also a noted science communicator. Narlikar authored various science books and articles making notable contributions to the field of science fiction. He was also a regular guest on radio and television to break down complex scientific concepts into simple terms for easy grasping by the general audience.
His autobiography which was written in Marathi language earned the Sahitya Akademi award, bolstering his achievements beyond the field of science.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Tuesday paid tributes to the deceased astrophysicist. Fadnavis released a message on X asserting that his last rites will be conducted with full state honours.
"We have lost a great scientist and an equally great writer. I pay my heartfelt tribute to him," said Fadnavis.