G. Rajasekaran
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
G. Rajasekaran, famend particle physicist and emeritus professor on the Institute of Mathematical Sciences died on Monday on the age of 87.
He is survived by his spouse Suthandradevi, 75, and daughters Poongothai, a heart specialist and Uma, an architect by coaching, who’s now into laptop science.
Born because the eldest of 10 siblings in Kamuthi in Ramanathapuram district in 1936, Guruswamy Rajasekaran started helping his father in his store that offered brass vessels.
His efficiency in class caught his lecturers’ consideration and he entered the American College in Madurai for an intermediate course.
He did his B.Sc. in Madras Christian College and was among the many few who listened to a lecture by Nobel Laureate C.V. Raman. He was among the many first batch of scholars who educated beneath Homi Bhaba within the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.
He later accomplished his Ph.D from Chicago University in 1962.
Prof. Rajasekaran joined the University of Madras and later moved to the Institute of Mathematical Sciences within the early Eighties.
Until his retirement in 2001 he was its joint director. He has since been emeritus professor.
Prof. Rajasekaran, fondly referred to as Rajaji to his associates and college students, has educated many within the discipline of particle physics and nuclear physics.
“In the last 10-15 years he was going to colleges in every nook and corner of Tamil Nadu to promote physics,” stated one in every of his college students who wished to stay nameless.
Prof. Rajasekaran was concerned within the India-based Neutrino Observatory. “It was his dream and ambition to establish the project,” the coed recalled.
Prof. Rajasekaran has written books on science in Tamil and has additionally penned his autobiography.
M. Sivakumar, retired professor from the University of Hyderabad, recalled that it was his mentor Prof. Rajasekaran’s initiative to coach college students in physics.
“GR was not only an eminent particle theorist, but also a passionate educationist. He was instrumental in putting some of us together to start the Physics Training and Talent Search (PTTS) programme, similar to the one in mathematics that has been running successfully. He has been a great source of encouragement and support for us,” he stated.
Prof. Rajasekaran’s college students have deep respect for him. “He was a physicist who was highly respected and one who cared deeply about the community. He was highly approachable and many younger colleagues benefitted from his advice and encouragement,” Mr. Sivakumar stated.
The cremation can be held on Wednesday as his daughters, who’re within the U.S., are on their approach dwelling, stated V. Ravindran, director of the Institute.
