Displaying 1 - 25 of 25
Prof. Ramesh Chander Kapoor (26 September 1948 – 21 August 2025)

Ramesh Chander Kapoor, a renown astrophysicist and historian of astronomy, passed away in Bengaluru on 21st August 2024, after a brief illness.

He served as the Treasurer of the Astronomical Society of India during 2004-2007 and 2007-2010 and was a Life Member of the ASI, as well as a… Read More

Prof. Gopal Charyulu Kilambi (10 August 1941 – 13 July 2025) (L0234)

Dr. Gopal Charyulu Kilambi passed away on 13 July 2025 following a sudden fall and subsequent cardiac arrest. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he could not be revived. His passing marks the end of a distinguished life dedicated wholly to the pursuit of knowledge and the advancement of… Read More

Prof. Jayant Vishnu Narlikar (19 July 1938 – 20 May 2025)

Professor Jayant Narlikar passed away in his sleep in the early hours of May 20, following a brief illness precipitated by a simple fall at home, the ensuing surgery and the effects of a heart condition. He had not been in the best of health for some time, and yet was able to carry out his… Read More

Dr. S. Balachandra Rao

The world of the history of classical Indian astronomy has lost one of its brightest minds, Dr. Balachandra Rao, a scholar who dedicated his life to decoding ancient astronomical algorithms and combating misinformation in the name of Vedic science.

Dr. Rao’s expertise lay in unravelling… Read More

Prof. K. Kasturirangan (24 October 1940 – 25 April 2025) (L0119)

Very saddened to hear about the sad demise of Dr. K. Kasturirangan. He championed the cause of space science leading to its growth within India. He was an excellent mediator between scientists in the Academic Institutions on one hand and the Indian Space Research Organisation. He laid the… Read More

Prof. Parameswaran Venkatakrishnan (L0266 )

BENGALURU, INDIA — The Indian and international scientific communities mourn the sudden passing of Prof. Parameswaran Venkatakrishnan, a pioneering solar physicist, on April 12, 2025, at the age of 72. His last rites were performed on April 14 in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Prof.… Read More

Prof. R. C. Gupta (14 August 1935 - 5 September 2024) (L0338)

Internationally renowned Vedic Mathematics mathematician Prof. Radha Charan Gupta (R. C. Gupta) passes away, breathed his last on Teacher's Day, his contribution will be kept alive.

Prof. Gupta was an active member (L0338) of the Astronomical Society of India. The R. C. Gupta Endowment… Read More

Dr. T. M. K. Marar (L0226)

Dr. Thirumittakode Marath Krishnankutty Marar (Dr. T. M. K. Marar or Krishnan Marar as many knew him), a reputed space scientist, passed away on April 25, 2024, aged 85.

Between the initial heady days of India enthusiastically participating in all space activities using balloons, rockets… Read More

Prof. Bimla Buti (September 19, 1933 – February 24, 2024) (L0121)

Prof. Bimla Buti was a highly acclaimed Plasma Physicist of international repute. She did her Ph.D. with Nobel Laureate Prof. S Chandrasekhar in 1962 from the University of Chicago. She worked at Delhi University, GSFC (NASA) and IIT Delhi (1962-70). She was invited by the then Director of PRL,… Read More

Prof. Deepak B Vaidya (L0424)

Prof. Deepak B Vaidya was a Faculty member of Physics Department, Gujrat College, Ahmedabad during 70's and 80's and was a part of the research group which had interest in light scattering effects of colloidal liquids. He used to frequently visit Physical Research Laboratory (PRL)  … Read More

Prof. Tanuka Chattopadhyay (26th January 1963 – 16th October 2023) (L2147)

Professor Tanuka Chattopadhyay (née Kanjilal), a member of the Astronomical Society of India, passed away on October 16th this year, at the age of 60, after a long and heroic battle with cancer.  She was a Professor in  the Department of Applied Mathematics of the University of… Read More

Dr. G. S. D. Babu (1943-2023) (L0066)

The ASI announces, with sadness, the passing away of Dr. G.S.D. Babu, a former Secretary of the ASI.

Dr. Babu, an alumnus of the Osmania University did his M.Sc from the Department of Astronomy in 1966, after which he was at the then U.P. State Observatory (now ARIES), Nanital for a… Read More

Professor S.M. Razaullah Ansari (1932-2023) (L0030)

Professor S.M. Razaullah Ansari (1932-2023) - By R. C. Kapoor

Prof. S.M. Razaullah Ansari was an eminent physicist and historian of science. After finishing his M.Sc. from Delhi University, he went to Germany on a fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to… Read More

Prof. Paul K. T. (29 May 1964 - 16 Sept 2022) (L2262)

We feel deeply saddened to convey the message of the untimely demise of Prof. Paul Kodiyan Thomas, HOD, Department of Physics and Electronics, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bangalore on September 16, 2022. He was an astrophysicist, researcher, a wonderful teacher and an excellent… Read More

Prof. Rajesh Kochhar (26 October 1946 - 13 March 2022) (L0262)

Professor Rajesh Kumar Kochhar passed away in Chandigarh on 13 March 2022, aged 75 years. An ‘astrophysicist turned historian of… Read More

Prof. Chandrakant Shukre (15 June 1947 - 7 January, 2022) (L0263)

We are deeply saddened by Chandrakant Shukre's untimely demise in the early hours of 7th January, 2022. He leaves behind his wife… Read More

Prof. Thanu Padmanabhan (10 March, 1957 – 17 September, 2021) (L0956)

Remembering Paddy

Professor Thanu Padmanabhan, known affectionately as Paddy, passed away on September 17, 2021, at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune, India. He had joined the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India, as… Read More

Dr. Nandivada Rathnasree (26 November, 1963 - 09 May, 2021) (L2277)

The Astronomical Society of India deeply mourns the tragic demise of Dr. Nandivada Rathnasree. An avid Astronomy communicator and accomplished pulsar astronomer, she was pivotal in most astronomy outreach projects of ASI in the last two decades. When ASI formally set up its Public Outreach and… Read More

Dr. Anil Kumar Pandey ( November 8 1958 - 23 April 2021 ) (L0530)

ARIES family is deeply saddened by the sudden demise of Dr. Anil Kumar Pandey, former Director of ARIES, Nainital. He passed away in the early hours of April 23, 2021 in Haldwani. He is survived by his wife, mother and son.

Dr Anil Kumar Pandey completed his M.Sc. from Kumaun University,… Read More

Mr. Suresh Chandra Tapde (18 February 1940 – 26 March 2021) (L2022)

Last month (26th March 2021) we lost a highly accomplished ASI member, Mr. Suresh Chandra Tapde. Mr. Tapde's contributions to post independence communication and astronomy initiatives in India are immense and lie in the field of engineering. He played key roles in building the first large… Read More

Prof. Shashikumar Chitre (07.05.1936 - 11.01.2021) (L0191)

With deep sorrow we share the news that Indian astronomy has lost another stalwart, Professor Shashikumar (Kumar) Chitre, who passed away in Mumbai  on 11 January 2021. A well respected and active member of the Astronomical Society of India, he served the Society, first as a Councillor… Read More

Baba Anthony Varghese 1957 - 2020 (L0779)

Baba Anthony Varghese (hear-after Baba) was Born October 22, 1957 in Bombay presently known as Mumbai. His father was working in… Read More

Prof. Govind Swarup (23 March 1929 - 07 September 2020) (L0117)

It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing away of one of ASI’s founding members, Professor Govind Swarup. A global pioneer in radio astronomy, and a torch-bearer for building scientific capacity in independent India, Prof. Swarup passed away in Pune on 7 September 2020 after… Read More

Dr. Amalendu Bandyopadhyay (February 1, 1930 – June 22, 2020) (L0084)

by Gourav Banerjee with inputs from the documentary made on the life of Dr. Bandyopadhyay  (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUMDVhB82dY)

With a heavy heart, I write this obituary to pay gratitude and… Read More

Prof. Kanakatte Nanjundarao Nagendra (1955 - 2020) (L0490)

The eminent Indian theoretical astrophysicist Prof. K. N. Nagendra unexpectedly passed away on 6 March 2020 due to cardiac arrest. He was one of the main contributors to the advancement of the field of solar polarization with his many profound contributions to the theory of polarized radiative… Read More