With his trademark wavy white hair, long kurtha pyjamas and smoking pipe, Yash Pal carved a unique place for himself among Indian scientists, engaging in fundamental research and popularising science in schools.

The Jhang, Punjab (now in Pakistan) born Yash Pal earned international reputation as a physicist, builder of institutions and reformer of higher education.

He passed away in Noida on Tuesday at 90, after a prolonged illness. His death, coincidentally, came a day after another renowned Indian physicist-space scientist, UR Rao, died in Bengaluru.

Yash Pal charted an impressive career course — from schooling in a remote village to obtaining a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), US. He joined the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in the early 1960s. Over the next half century, he made immense contributions to Indian science and education, as Secretary of the Department of Science & Technology, Chairman of the UGC, Planning Commission member and in several key committees.

He was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 1976 and Padma Vibhushan in 2013.

Popular programme Known for his amazing ability to demystify superstitions and explain scientific phenomena in a lucid manner, Yash Pal entered the homes of millions through the popular TurningPoint programme on Doordarshan during the 1980s.

His efforts to popularise science won him the prestigious Kalinga Prize. Yash Pal was a common sight at most sessions of the Indian Science Congress in 1970-2005.

Other giants who could be spotted included MGK Menon, CNR Rao, Vasant Gowariker, UR Rao, APJ Abdul Kalam, Manju Sharma, Kasturirangan, R Chidambaram and PM Bhargava.

The youth — scientists and others — tended to flock around Yash Pal, who spoke to them with patience and excitement.

Bringing light Yash Pal created waves on October 24, 1995, which was a Diwali day that witnessed a total solar eclipse. As vast portions of the population kept off steets due to superstitious beliefs, Yash Pal was on national TV, explaining the science behind eclipses. The event was telecast live for the first time.

Yash Pal was also noted for his ready repartee and wit. He famously said he also deserved a Physics Nobel when Pakistani physicist Abdus Salam won the prize in 1979.

“I and Salam come from the same village (Jhang), were born in the same year (1926), went to MIT and worked in the same areas as well,” he quipped.

His contributions to higher education are far reaching. In his report Learning without burden , he recommended that school bags be made lighter, learning made more stimulating.

The Yash Pal Committee report Renovation & Rejuvenation of Higher Education in India, submitted in 2009, requires special mention. He did, however, carry regrets that many of his suggestions remained unimplemented.

Yash Pal led a crusade against fake universities. After a long legal battle in Chhattisgarh led by him, l00 ‘fake private universities’ had to be closed.

In space sciences, Yash Pal shaped the SITE (Satellite Instructional Television Experiment) project and founded the Satellite Application Centre, Ahmedabad of the ISRO, in the mid 1970s.

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