Dr. Jayant Vishnu Narlikar, a pioneering Indian astrophysicist known for his contributions to cosmology and science communication, passed away on May 20, 2025. He was 86.

He was celebrated for developing alternative theories to the Big Bang and founding the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune.

Key Points:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the demise of veteran astrophysicist Jayant Narlikar, calling it a monumental loss to science and the nation.
• Jayant Narlikar was born on July 19, 1938, in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, and studied at Banaras Hindu University and Cambridge University, where he excelled in mathematics.
• He co-developed the Hoyle–Narlikar theory of gravity and proposed the Quasi-Steady State Theory as an alternative to the Big Bang model.
• In 1988, Narlikar founded IUCAA, serving as its director until 2003, establishing it as a premier research institute in astronomy and astrophysics.
• He was an influential science communicator, authoring books and articles and appearing on Carl Sagan’s "Cosmos" to popularize science.
• Narlikar received prestigious awards including the Padma Vibhushan, Maharashtra Bhushan, Prix Jules Janssen, and Sahitya Akademi Award.