Senior astrophysicist Dr Jayant Vishnu Narlikar passed away at his residence in Pune on Tuesday. Dr Narlikar was not only a scientist but also a science writer and a pioneer of science fiction. He authored several books and articles in Marathi and English on scientific topics. His Marathi science fiction story "The Cosmic Explosion" was translated into Hindi and English. He obtained his BSc degree from Banaras Hindu University in 1957 and later pursued higher education at Cambridge University. There, under the guidance of renowned astrophysicist Sir Fred Hoyle, he completed his PhD. Together they proposed the Hoyle–Narlikar theory of gravitation, which is considered an alternative to the Big Bang theory.In 1988, he established the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune and served as its director until 2003. This institute has become a leading center for astronomical and astrophysical research in India. He was honoured with numerous prestigious awards such as Padma Bhushan (1965) Padma Vibhushan (2004) Maharashtra Bhushan (2010) Sahitya Akademi Award (2014) UNESCO's Kalinga Prize (1996). With his passing, it feels as if a star from the universe has fallen.
