Yash Pal
| Yash Pal | |
|---|---|
Yash Pal at Science City, Kolkata, 1996
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| Born | Yash Pal Singh 26 November 1926 Jhang, British India |
| Citizenship | Indian |
| Fields | Physics |
| Alma mater |
Panjab University, Chandigarh Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Doctoral advisor | Bruno Rossi |
| Known for | Space science, Education, Television anchor |
| Notable awards |
Padma Vibhushan (2013) Padma Bhushan (1976) Marconi Prize (1980) Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award Kalinga Award (2009) |
Yash Pal (born 26 November 1926) is an Indian scientist, educator and educationist. He is known for his contributions to the study of cosmic rays, as well as for being an institution-builder. In his later years, he has become one of the leading science communicators of the country.
Starting his career at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), he later remained chairman of the University Grants Commission from 1986 to 1991. In 2013, he was awarded India's second highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan.
Yash Pal was born in 1926 in Jhang, British India, now in Pakistan. He was raised in Pai, Kaithal, Haryana (India), graduated with a master's degree in physics from Panjab University in 1949 and gained a PhD degree in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1958.
Yash Pal started his career at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Bombay (now Mumbai), as a member of the Cosmic Rays group. He went to MIT for his PhD and returned to TIFR, where he remained until 1983.
In 1972, the Government of India set up its Department of Space and embarked on an independent space programme. Yash Pal took charge as the first Director of the newly set up Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad, in 1973. At the same time, he continued to be on the faculty of TIFR.
Yash Pal's administrative assignments at the Government level and beyond began with his appointment as the Secretary General of the Second United Nations Conference on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (1981–82). He held the posts of Chief Consultant, Planning Commission (1983–84) and Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India (1984–1986), after which he was appointed chairman, University Grants Commission (UGC) (1986–91). 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.
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