Yash Pal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yash Pal
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Prof. Yash Pal at the inauguration of the IUCAA Girawali Observatory in 2006
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Yash Pal
26 November 1926 |
| Died | 24 July 2017 (aged 90) Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
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| Citizenship | Indian |
| Alma mater |
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| Known for | Space science, Education, Television anchor, Public Outreach |
| Awards | Padma Vibhushan (2013) Padma Bhushan (1976) Marconi Prize (1980) Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award Kalinga Award (2009) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physics, Astrophysics |
| Institutions | TIFR, Mumbai, Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad, University Grants Commission (India) |
| Doctoral advisor | Bruno Rossi |
Yash Pal (born November 26, 1926 – died July 24, 2017) was a famous Indian scientist and teacher. He was known for his important work on cosmic rays, which are tiny particles from space. He also helped create many important scientific and educational organizations. Later in his life, he became a well-known person who explained science to everyone, especially on TV.
He started his career at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbai. He later became the Chairman of the University Grants Commission from 1986 to 1991. In 2013, he received India's second highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan.
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Early Life and Education
Yash Pal was born in 1926 in Jhang, which was then part of British India and is now in Pakistan. Interestingly, another famous physicist, Abdus Salam, who won the Nobel Prize, was also born in Jhang.
When Yash Pal was young, he lived in Quetta with his family. In 1935, a huge earthquake hit Quetta. It was one of the deadliest earthquakes in South Asia. Young Yash Pal and his brother and sister were rescued from the ruined buildings. Because the town was being rebuilt, he couldn't go to school for a whole year. He grew up in Kaithal district, Haryana.
Studying Physics
From 1945 to 1947, he studied for his Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Physics at the University of the Punjab in Lahore. He was also active in student groups there. In 1947, when he was about to finish his degree, his studies were interrupted again because of the Partition of India. He was visiting Delhi when riots broke out, and he couldn't go back to Lahore.
However, a group of students and teachers who had moved from Lahore managed to turn old WW2 army buildings in Delhi into classrooms. With help from people like Daulat Singh Kothari, a physics professor, they continued their studies.
From 1947 to 1949, he studied at the Panjab University in Delhi. He earned his Master of Science (MSc) degree in Physics in 1949. Later, he went to Boston, United States, to continue his studies. He earned his PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) degree in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1958.
Career Highlights
Yash Pal began his career at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbai. He worked in the group that studied cosmic rays. After getting his PhD from MIT, he returned to TIFR and worked there until 1983.
Space Science Leadership
In 1972, the Indian government started its own Department of Space to develop its space program. In 1973, Yash Pal became the first Director of the new Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad. He also continued to teach at TIFR.
Shaping Education in India
Yash Pal took on many important roles in the government. He was the Secretary General for a United Nations conference on the peaceful uses of outer space (1981–82). He also worked as a Chief Consultant for the Planning Commission (1983–84) and Secretary for the Department of Science and Technology (1984–1986).
From 1986 to 1991, he was the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC). During this time, he strongly supported creating special centers for universities, funded by the UGC. This idea led to the creation of important places like the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA).
He was also a member of several international committees related to science and technology. From 2007 to 2012, he served as the Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi.
Improving School Education
Yash Pal was involved in improving school education since the 1970s. He supported the Hoshangabad Science Teaching Programme, which was a new way to teach science.
In 1993, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) formed a committee with Yash Pal as its chairman. Their task was to look into why school children felt so burdened by their studies. The committee's report, called "Learning without Burden," became a very important document in Indian education.
When the National Council of Educational Research and Training was creating the National Curriculum Framework (NCF 2005), Yash Pal was asked to lead the steering committee. The NCF 2005 document clearly stated that its review was based on the "Learning Without Burden" report.
Reforming Higher Education
As UGC chairman, Yash Pal played a big role in higher education. In 2009, the MHRD again asked him to chair a committee to suggest reforms for higher education in India. The committee's report focused on the true meaning of a university and suggested many big changes.
Yash Pal also took a legal stand to ensure quality in higher education. He filed a case in the Supreme Court against a law that allowed universities to be set up without proper approvals or facilities. He won the case in 2005, which led to the closure of 112 private universities in Chhattisgarh that had been formed under that law.
Explaining Science to Everyone
Yash Pal was well-known for his appearances on the science TV show Turning Point on Doordarshan. He was great at explaining difficult scientific ideas in simple language that everyone could understand. He also advised on other science TV programs.
He even answered science questions from readers in the English newspaper The Tribune.
Views on Science
Yash Pal strongly believed in science and facts. He thought that beliefs like astrology and certain religious rituals were not scientific.
Awards and Recognitions
Yash Pal received many awards for his amazing work:
- In 1976, the Indian government gave him the Padma Bhushan for his contributions to science and space technology.
- He became a Marconi Fellow in 1980 for his work at the Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad.
- In 2009, UNESCO awarded him the Kalinga Prize for making science popular.
- In 2011, he received the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for his excellence in public service, academics, and management.
- He was honored with the Padma Vibhushan in 2013, which is the second highest civilian award in India.
- He also received the Indira Gandhi Prize for Popularization of Science in 2000 and the Meghnad Saha Medal in 2006 for his outstanding work in science.
Death
Yash Pal passed away on July 24, 2017, in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, due to illnesses related to old age.
