An inspirational life

Arguably one of the greatest theoretical cosmologists of recent times, Stephen Hawking would be known not just for his profound scientific work that pushed the boundaries of human knowledge, but also for steadfastly upholding all that science stood for. Hawking, who battled an incurable disease which crippled his body but not his determination and willpower, was an inspiration for those who believe in the power of the human mind. From the wheelchair he was bound to, his mind roamed the cosmos, unravelling its mysteries, and nudged human knowledge closer to a theoretical framework that would one day hopefully string together all known particles and forces in a unified theory of physics. Great advances in science are those that involve discovering links between phenomena that are seemingly unconnected. It was one such discovery that catapulted Hawking into the league of the world’s greatest scientists. Hawking’s major early breakthrough was the precise application of quantum mechanics to black holes, thereby establishing a hitherto unforeseen link between gravity and quantum theory.

Despite climbing the pinnacles of success, he had shown the willingness to be corrected when his assumptions were found to be wrong. As UK’s Astronomer Royal Martin Rees — who was his junior at Cambridge where Hawking spent all his professional life — once said, what endeared Hawking to the masses was the idea of “an imprisoned mind roaming the cosmos”. His popular science books including the famous A Brief History of Time, found acceptance both by specialists and the general public alike. Despite all his infirmities, he found enjoyment in his life. He was an inveterate globetrotter who enjoyed travelling the world to see new things. When he visited India in 2001 — his second visit— – he made it a point to include many historic monuments such as the Qutab Minar, Jantar Mantar and the Gateway of India in his itinerary.

His fame did not deter him from speaking his mind. In 2013, he declined an invitation to speak at an important conference in Jerusalem in protest against the Israeli government’s policies towards Palestine. A year later, he warned that artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race. Similarly, Hawking was critical of Britain’s decision to leave the European Union and, earlier in the 1990s, refused to accept a knighthood over differences with the government on the issue of science funding. His brilliance apart, Hawking is an epitome of what a determined mind can do. While his doctors, who diagnosed his degenerative motor neurone disease in the sixties, said he would live just two more years, he not only survived another 50 years, but contributed richly even while fighting the progressive muscle-wasting illness. Not many can be a better inspiration for those who live with physical challenges than Stephen Hawking.

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