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Prominent physicist Ranjit Nair passes away
His cremation took place at Lodi Crematorium, New Delhi, on April 16.
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Staff Reporter
- Wed, 16, Apr 2025
- 14:30 EDT
- 242
Ranjit Nair / Courtesy Photo
The academic and scientific community is mourning the loss of physicist and philosopher, Ranjit Nair, who passed away suddenly on April 14 following a cardiac arrest at his home in New Delhi. He was 70.
A scholar with formal training in both physics and philosophy from the University of Cambridge, U.K., Nair was widely respected for his intellectual depth and his lifelong effort to bridge the gap between science and philosophy.
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He founded the Centre for Philosophy and the Foundations of Science and authored several influential works, including Mind, Matter and Mystery and The Republic of Science. He also edited the collected works of eminent physicist E.C.G. Sudarshan, whose contributions he firmly believed were deserving of a Nobel Prize.
A champion of public engagement with science, Nair frequently hosted discussions with leading scientists. In 2001, he notably challenged Stephen Hawking’s prediction that physics would become obsolete within two decades. Just a week before his death, he moderated an online session titled Cosmic Conundrums with Nobel Laureate Roger Penrose.
Nair was also a lifelong advocate for the history of Indian science. He played an instrumental role in installing a bust of Jagadish Chandra Bose at Christ College, Cambridge, his alma mater. His passion for science began during his undergraduate days at University College, Trivandrum, where he co-founded the student-led Science Society of Trivandrum.
He is survived by his wife, poet and linguist Rukmini Bhaya Nair, daughter professor Vijayanka Nair, son Viraj Nair, brother Arun Kumar, and sister Shailaja Sreekumar. His cremation took place at Lodi Crematorium, New Delhi, on April 16.
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