In a significant recognition of his contributions to science, Jayant Naralikar, one of India”s most esteemed astrophysicists who passed away in May, has been awarded the Vigyan Ratna Puraskar, the highest honor for scientific achievement in the country. This announcement was made on Saturday.
Naralikar, known for his challenge to the widely accepted Big Bang theory, proposed an alternative view of the universe”s existence. Alongside British astronomer Fred Hoyle, he theorized that the universe has always existed, with a continuous creation of new matter, suggesting an infinite cosmos.
Naralikar, who died on May 20 at the age of 86, left a substantial legacy in the field of astrophysics, influencing generations of scientists and researchers.
Additionally, the government announced eight recipients of the Vigyan Shri awards for 2025, recognizing excellence in various scientific fields. The winners include Gyanendra Pratap Singh in Agricultural Science, Yusuf Mohammad Seikh in Atomic Energy, K Thangaraj in Biological Sciences, Pradeep Thalappil in Chemistry, Aniruddha Bhalchandra Pandit in Engineering Sciences, S Venkata Mohan in Environmental Science, Mahan Mj in Mathematics and Computer Science, and Jayan N in Space Science and Technology.
Furthermore, 14 Vigyan Yuva awardees were also announced, highlighting young talent across diverse disciplines. This includes Jagdis Gupta Kapuganti and Satendra Kumar Mangrauthia in Agricultural Science, Debarka Sengupta and Deepa Agashe in Biological Sciences, Dibyendu Das in Chemistry, Waliur Rahaman in Earth Science, Arkaprava Basu in Engineering Sciences, Sabyasachi Mukherjee and Shweta Prem Agrawal in Mathematics and Computer Science, Suresh Kumar in Medicine, Amit Kumar Agarwal and Surhud Shrikant More in Physics, Ankur Garg in Space Science and Technology, along with Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam in Technology and Innovation.
Moreover, the CSIR Aroma Mission Team, known for launching the Lavender Mission in Jammu and Kashmir, has been recognized with the Vigyan Team award.
The Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar, established as the premier national accolade in the realm of science and technology, was introduced in 2023, with the inaugural awards presented on the eve of National Space Day on August 22 of the previous year.
