Renowned nuclear physicist Bikash Sinha dies at 78 in Kolkata
A recipient of Padma Shri in 2001 and Padma Bhusan in 2010, he was the former director of the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics and Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre
Renowned nuclear physicist Bikash Sinha died in Kolkata on Friday morning. Sinha, 78, was suffering from old age-related ailments.
A recipient of Padma Shri in 2001 and Padma Bhusan in 2010, he was the former director of the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics and Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee took to Twitter to condole his demise. “Saddened to know about the untimely demise of the great scientist Bikash Sinha,” she said.
Describing him as a talented nuclear physicist and illustrious son of Bengal, she wrote, “An illustrious son of Bengal, this talented nuclear physicist made us proud by his contributions to not only the world of knowledge but also the ongoing public life. We could confer on him our highest state award ‘Bangabibhushan’ in 2022, and his personal presence on the dais inspired us. We could give him ‘Rabindra Smriti Purashkar’ too in 2022. I convey my sincerest condolences to his family, friends, students, and admirers.”
Sinha specialized in nuclear physics, high energy physics, Quark Gluon Plasma and early universe cosmology. He led the Indian team for the first time to participate in the experiments at the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Geneva.
Sinha had lived in England for around 12 years and after coming back to India he joined the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in 1976.
In 1987 he was appointed the director of the Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre. He held the concurrent charge as director of the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics till 2009.
