Renowned scientist & educator Prof Yash Pal passes away

India lost two major scientists in one day. Professor Yash Pal, an Indian scientist of international repute and a visionary educator passed away at the age of 90 on Monday in Noida after the demise of eminent space scientist UR Rao in the early hours of the day. Though he had reportedly recovered from cancer a few years ago, the cause of his death is uncertain.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief on Twitter saying that India has lost a brilliant scientist:

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi too took to Twitter to share his grief:

Professor Yash Pal was known for his contributions to the study of cosmic rays, as well as for being an institution-builder. In his later years, he became one of the leading science communicators of the country. He introduced the first cable and satellite television broadcast for the world in the 1970’s.

Pal was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1976 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2013. He was the founder director of ISRO’s Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad. He started his career at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), later remained chairman of the University Grants Commission from 1986 to 1991. Apart from his great achievement in the field of Science, he wrote a major report which strongly favoured reducing the burden of books in children’s school bags.

During his tenure as UGC chairman, he advocated the setting up of Inter-University Centres funded by the UGC, on the model of the Nuclear Science Centre (now Inter-University Accelerator Centre), New Delhi. Institutions such as the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) emerged from this vision.

All India Radio paid tribute to the veteran scientist on Twitter:

Various academicians and scribes took to social media to pay tribute to the revered scientist:

Prof Yash Pal is also known for regular appearances on the science programme Turning Point telecast on Doordarshan and for explaining scientific concepts in layman’s language, along with participation in advisory boards for televised science programmes such as Bharat ki Chaap.