Jayant Narlikar dies: All you need to know about Indian Astrophysicist who challenged Big Bang Theory

Context

On May 20, 2025, India lost one of its most distinguished astrophysicists, Jayant Vishnu Narlikar, who passed away at the age of 87 in Pune. Narlikar was renowned for his groundbreaking work in cosmology, especially for developing an alternative theory of gravitation with British scientist Fred Hoyle. His passing marks the end of an era in Indian space science and scientific communication.

Key Contributions and Significance

Alternative to Big Bang Theory:
He developed the Hoyle–Narlikar Theory of Gravitation, an alternative to the Big Bang model, which introduced concepts like "continuous creation" and challenged prevailing cosmological beliefs. This brought global attention to Indian contributions in astrophysics.
Founder of IUCAA (1988):
He established the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune, which became a hub for advanced astronomical research in India.
Scientific Communication:

Narlikar was a prolific science communicator, writing books, essays, and science fiction in English and Marathi.
He believed that science belonged to everyone, not just academics — he popularized complex physics for lay audiences.

Education and Collaboration:

Educated at Cambridge University, where he collaborated with Fred Hoyle.
Their work challenged orthodox scientific views and expanded the boundaries of cosmological inquiry.

Big Bang Theory:

The Big Bang Theory is the leading explanation about how the universe began. It proposes that the universe originated from an extremely hot and dense singularity around 13.8 billion years ago, and has been expanding ever since.

Key Points

Singularity: The universe began as a single point (singularity) with infinite temperature and density.
Expansion: Space itself has been expanding, not objects moving through space.
Not an explosion: It's a rapid expansion of space-time, not a traditional explosion.

Supporting Evidence

Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMB): Discovered by Penzias and Wilson in 1965; thermal radiation leftover from the early universe.
Redshift of Galaxies: Edwin Hubble observed that galaxies are moving away, implying expansion.
Abundance of Light Elements: Predictable ratios of hydrogen, helium, and lithium in the early universe match observations.