Shashikumar Chitre

Shashikumar Madhusudan Chitre
Born (1936-05-07)7 May 1936
India
Occupation Astrophysicist, Mathematician
Awards Padma Bhushan

Professor Emeritus Shashikumar Madhusudan Chitre is an Indian mathematician and astrophysicist, known for his research in Astronomy and Astrophysics. The Government of India honored him, in 2012, with Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award, for his services to the sciences.[1]

Biography

Illustration of the dynamo mechanism that creates the Earth's magnetic field: convection currents of magma in the Earth's outer core, driven by heat flow from the inner core, organized into rolls by the Coriolis force, creates circulating electric currents, which generate the magnetic field.[2]
Gravitational Lensing - A Horseshoe Einstein Ring from Hubble

Sashikumar Chitre graduated in Mathematics from the Elphinstone College, Mumbai, in 1956, on completion of which he was awarded the Duke of Edinburgh Scholarship to study abroad. He joined Peterhouse College, University of Cambridge and did another bachelor's degree in 1959. In 1960, he was selected as the Peterhouse Scholar, with which he completed his master's degree. Subsequently, he got selected for Gulbenkian Research studentship, moved to Churchill College and obtained his PhD from the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics of Cambridge, in 1963.[3][4][5]

Chitre started his career as a Lecturer at the University of Leeds, in 1963, and worked there till 1966 when he obtained another fellowship to join the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena. In 1967, he returned to India and joined the faculty of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, which served as the base of his research till his retirement in 2001.[4][5]

Professor Chitre lives in Mumbai, attending to his duties as the Academic Chair Person and Professor Emeritus of the Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (CBS) and the INSA Honorary Scientist at the University of Mumbai.[5] He is also on the board of Trustees of JN Tata Trust and works as an Honorary Executive Director of Homi Bhabha Fellowship Council.[4]

Research highlights

Professor Chitre's scientific research is focused on solar physics, astrophysics and gravitational lensing.[5][6] He has done extensive research on the Sun's magnetic activity cycle, the solar dynamo theory, and the role of neutrals in the solar atmosphere.[5]

Positions held

Professor Sashikumar Chitre has been honored by fellowships by many prominent scientific institutions.[4][5]

Professor Chitre also served as a visiting fellow or visiting professor at various prestigious institutions around the world.[4][5]

He has also held the posts of:[4][5]

Awards and recognitions

Writings

External links

References

  1. 1 2 "Padma". Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  2. "Dynamo Theory and Earth's Magnetic Field" (PDF). Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  3. "PhD". Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "INSA". Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "CBS". Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  6. 1 2 "IAS profile". Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  7. The Year Book 2014 // Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi
  8. TWAS profile
  9. "Microsoft". Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  10. "Lecture". Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  11. "International Astronomical Union". Retrieved August 6, 2014.
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