In Memory of Prof. Roddam Narasimha

“Deeply pained by the demise of noted aerospace scientist Prof. Roddam Narasimha today who contributed immensely to space technology. His research in parallel processing, aerospace electronics, surface technologies, and computational fluid dynamics, leadership at National Aerospace Laboratories, and policy contributions to aerospace technology proved to be the stepping-stones to make India self-reliant in civil aviation. Indian science is indebted for his remarkable contributions to many of India’s major scientific programs from issues of climate change, the design and development of civilian aircraft programs, and of the Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas. His passing away creates a void in the scientific community globally and in India.” 

-    Prof. K. Vijay Raghavan, The Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India 

The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India pays tribute to Prof. Roddam Narasimha and his deepest condolences to his family and his students.

Biography:
Prof. Roddam Narasimha, FRS (July 20, 1933 - December 14, 2020) was the preeminent figure in the field of Indian aerospace and fluid dynamics. He was formerly a Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Director of National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), and the Chairman of Engineering Mechanics Unit at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR). He was an Honorary Professor at JNCASR and the Pratt & Whitney Chair in Science and Engineering at the University of Hyderabad. Prof. Narasimha had authored a book- “Developments in Fluid Mechanics and Space Technology” with former President of India Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam.
Considering his contribution leveraging the power of science and innovation for India’s progress, the Indian government bestowed on him Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award in India.

In conversation with Prof. Roddam Narasimha
A multifaceted scientist, a mentor, someone who understood the Eastern and Western styles of working, Prof. Roddam Narasimha (RN) wore multiple hats. Continuing our tribute to Prof. Narasimha, the PSA’s office shares two of his interviews published by Bhāvanā, The Mathematics Magazine.

Aakaasha Raaya, Roddam Narasimha in Conversation (This article was first published in Bhāvanā, the mathematics magazine, Volume 1, Issue 2, April 2017)

View the Kannada translation

View the Bengali translation

View in the Hindi Translation 

Above the Clouds, Roddam Narasimha in Conversation (This article was first published in Bhāvanā, the mathematics magazine, Volume 2, Issue 2, April 2018)

View the Kannada translation

View the Bengali translation

View the Hindi Translation

Acknowledgment

The Kannada translations for Aakaasha Raaya and Above the Clouds have been done by Kollegala Sharma. Kollegala is a science communicator with more than forty years of experience and hosts his podcast in Kannada, Janasuddi.

The Bengali translations for Aakaasha Raaya and Above the Clouds, posted earlier, have been thoroughly worked on, and improved, by Dr. Parthasarathi Mukhopadhyay and Dr. Anirban Roy. Dr. Mukhopadhyay teaches at the Department of Mathematics at Ramakrishna Mission Residential College, Narendrapur, Kolkata, and has also translated Robert Kanigel’s The Man Who Knew Infinity to Bengali. And Dr. Roy is Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the Christ (Deemed to be University), Bangalore. He is very proud and passionate about Bengali literature and, having lived in Bangalore for over fifteen years, is fluent in communicating in Kannada.

The Hindi translations for Aakaasha Raaya and Above the Clouds, have been thoroughly revised by Dr. Bankteshwar Tiwari, a Professor of Mathematics at the DST-Centre For Interdisciplinary Mathematical Sciences, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. Dr. Tiwari enjoys communicating mathematics in Hindi.