Shashikumar Chitre

Shashikumar Chitre
Shashikumar Madhusudan Chitre FNA, FASc, FNASc, FRAS (7 May 1936 – 11 January 2021) was 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.
Biography
Shashikumar 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, 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.
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. He lived 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. He was also on the board of Trustees of JN Tata Trust and worked as an Honorary Executive Director of Homi Bhabha Fellowship Council.
Chitre died on 11 January 2021, aged 84.
Research highlights
Chitre's scientific research was focused on solar physics, astrophysics and gravitational lensing. He performed extensive research on the Sun's magnetic activity cycle, the solar dynamo theory, and the role of neutrinos in the solar atmosphere.
Positions held
Sashikumar Chitre has been honored by fellowships by many prominent scientific institutions.
MaxPlanck Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
Indian Academy of Sciences
Indian National Science Academy (1988)
National Academy of Sciences, India (1992)
Third World Academy of Sciences (1999)
Maharashtra Academy of Sciences
Royal Astronomical Society
International Astronomical Union
Chitre also served as a visiting fellow or visiting professor at various prestigious institutions around the world.
UGC National Lecturer in Physics - 1975-76
Visiting Professor - University of Cambridge
Visiting Professor - Princeton University
Visiting Professor - University of Sussex
Visiting Professor - University of Amsterdam
Visiting Professor - University of Columbia
Visiting Professor - University of Virginia
Visiting Professor - Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London - 1992-1993, '94-'95 and '97
Senior Research Associateship at Goddard Space Flight Centre, NASA
Senior Research Associateship of the National Academy of Sciences, USA
Visiting Astronomer - Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge - 2003-2005 and 2007
Perren Visiting Fellow and Visiting Professor - Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad - 1999-2000
Raja Ramanna Fellow - University of Mumbai - 2001-06.
He has also held the posts of:
President - Astronomical Society of India
Chairman — Indian National Committee for Astronomy
Chairman — Bombay Association for Science Education
Member, Management Board - National Centre for Radio Astrophysics
Member, Management Boards - Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education
Council Member, - Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore
Council Member, Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi
Council Member, National Academy of Sciences, Allahabad
Awards and recognitions
Padma Bhushan - 2012
Professor A. C. Banerjee Memorial Lecture Award - 1992
INSA Vainu Bappu Memorial Medal - 1995
M. P. Birla Award - 1999
Writings
References
External links
List of Publications on Microsoft Academic Search
Publications listed on CBS web site
Profile on Indian Academy of Sciences
Lecture by Sashikumar Chitre on Outstanding Problems in Astronomy
Profile on International Astronomical Union
1936 births
2021 deaths
Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in science & engineering
Indian astrophysicists
Cambridge College alumni
Fellows of the Indian National Science Academy
Fellows of the Indian Academy of Sciences
Fellows of The National Academy of Sciences, India
20th-century Indian physicists
20th-century Indian mathematicians
Academics of the University of Leeds