Have a great article or blog to share?

Give young research scholars opportunity to serve the country, says M. Lakshmanan

M. Lakshmanan, Professor of Eminence and DST-SERB Distinguished Fellow, Department of Nonlinear Dynamics, School of Physics, Bharathidasan University, who has been awarded the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar – Vigyan Shri Award for 2024.

M. Lakshmanan, Professor of Eminence and DST-SERB Distinguished Fellow, Department of Nonlinear Dynamics, School of Physics, Bharathidasan University, who has been awarded the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar – Vigyan Shri Award for 2024.
| Photo Credit: NAHLA NAINAR

India should make a greater effort to employ the research scholars emerging from its institutions or risk losing them to foreign countries, says Muthuswamy Lakshmanan, Professor of Eminence and DST-SERB Distinguished Fellow, Department of Nonlinear Dynamics, School of Physics, Bharathidasan University (BDU) in Tiruchi.

In an interview with The Hindu, the noted theoretical physicist, who will be receiving the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar – Vigyan Shri award in New Delhi this week (August 22), said that it was equally important for the nation to retain its senior scientists after retirement.

“There are many people who have completed their Ph.D, and are looking for permanent positions. In the absence of offers within India, many of them are looking to go abroad. Similarly, it is important to utilise the expertise of senior scientists in a productive manner,” he said.

With over 42 years spent in teaching, and 50 years in research, Mr. Lakshmanan (78), is considered a father figure in the field of nonlinear dynamics. He has made contributions to the general theory of solitons, integrable systems, magnetic and optical solitons and secure communications as well as quantum chaos and spatiotemporal patterns.

Born on March 25, 1946 in Thiruva Goundanpalayam village, Pollachi district, Mr. Lakshmanan showed an early aptitude for mathematics and physics. “Until Class V, I studied, with around 20-25 children of different ages, under the tree in our village. We had one teacher, who followed his own syllabus, and we learned by writing on the sand,” he recalled.

He graduated in Physics from N.G.M College, Pollachi, and then followed it up with Master’s at Madras Christian College.

Recognition for work

His 1974 doctoral study was carried out at the Department of Theoretical Physics, University of Madras, under the supervision of Professor P. M. Mathews, leading him to a research career in Nonlinear Dynamics.

After a few years of Post-doctoral research in Germany and Holland, he joined as a Reader in Physics at the Autonomous Post-graduate Centre of University of Madras at Tiruchi in 1978 (which became Bharathidasan University in 1982). He was promoted as Professor of Physics in 1984 and then as the Head of the Department (1994-2006) of Physics and Head of the Centre for Nonlinear Dynamics (1992-2006), where he is now working as Professor of Eminence and DST-SERB National Science Chair.

Mr. Lakshmanan has received some of the highest awards in India, including S. S. Bhatnagar Prize in Physical Sciences (1989), U. G. C. Hari Om Trust Meghnad Saha Award in Theoretical Sciences (1990) and Tamil Nadu Scientist Award (1994) to name a few, besides being made a Fellow of all the three Academies of Science of India and an elected foreign member of the Royal Academy of Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.

“You can see how useful your work is when other people cite your papers in their research, utilising the knowledge that we have developed in our paper. Citations are the best form of recognition. Receiving the Vigyan Shri award is a great honour. My co-workers at the university, my family and friends are all very happy for me,” said Mr. Lakshmanan.

Source link

Share it :

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.