Vigyan Ratna for Physicist Jayant Narlikar

• 27 Oct 2025

Why in News?

Eminent physicist Jayant Vishnu Narlikar has been posthumously selected for the Vigyan Ratna Puraskar 2025, the country’s highest honour for lifetime achievement in science and technology.

• The Government of India announced the second edition of the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2025, recognising 23 individuals and one institution across four categories — Vigyan Ratna, Vigyan Shri, Vigyan Yuva, and Vigyan Team.

Key Points

• About Jayant Vishnu Narlikar:
  • Jayant Vishnu Narlikar (1938–2025) was an eminent astrophysicist known for his work on cosmology, general relativity, and the steady-state theory of the universe.
  • A close collaborator of Sir Fred Hoyle, he co-developed the Hoyle–Narlikar theory of gravitation.
  • He served as the founding director of the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune.
  • His contribution bridged Indian and international research, and his popular science writings inspired generations of young scientists.
• Recipients of Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2025:

Vigyan Shri (Distinguished Contributions)
Recipient(s)	Field
Gyanendra Pratap Singh	Agricultural Science
Yusuf Mohammad Shaikh	Atomic Energy
K. Thangaraj	Biological Sciences
Pradeep Thalappil	Chemistry
Aniruddha Bhalchandra Pandit	Engineering Sciences
S. Venkata Mohan	Environmental Science
Mahan Mj	Mathematics and Computer Science
Jayan N	Space Science and Technology
Vigyan Yuva (Young Scientist Award)
Jagadis Gupta Kapuganti	Agricultural Science
Satendra Kumar Mangrauthia	Agricultural Science
Debarka Sengupta	Biological Sciences
Deepa Agashe	Biological Sciences
Dibyendu Das	Chemistry
Waliur Rahaman	Earth Science
Arkaprava Basu	Engineering Sciences
Sabyasachi Mukherjee	Mathematics and Computer Science
Shweta Prem Agrawal	Mathematics and Computer Science
Suresh Kumar	Medicine
Amit Kumar Agrawal	Physics
Surhud Shrikant More	Physics
Ankur Garg	Space Science and Technology
Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam	Technology and Innovation
Vigyan Team Award
CSIR Aroma Mission	Agricultural Science

Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar

• About:
  • The Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP) is India’s highest national honour recognising exceptional contributions by scientists, technologists, and innovators.
  • Modelled on the Padma Awards, it celebrates achievements across diverse fields of science, technology, and innovation.
  • The awards are presented annually by the President of India on National Space Day at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
  • Instituted in 2023, the RVP awardees are recommended by the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar Committee (RVPC), chaired by the Principal Scientific Adviser, with the first ceremony held in August 2024.
• Categories:
  • Vigyan Ratna: Recognises lifetime achievements and contributions in any field of science and technology.
  • Vigyan Shri: Awarded for distinguished contributions in any field of science and technology.
  • Vigyan Yuva: Given to young scientists (below 45 years) for exceptional achievements in science and technology.
  • Vigyan Team: Conferred on teams of three or more scientists, researchers, or innovators for outstanding collaborative work.