Known as Paddy, this Indian scientist was an outstanding teacher, and a populariser of science, who traveled very widely to motivate and inspire young students. This is the story of Thanu Padmanabhan, a renowned Indian theoretical physicist known for his research in general relativity, cosmology, and quantum gravity.
Thanu Padmanabhan was born on March 10, 1957, in Trivandrum, Kerala. He came from a middle-class family where his dad worked for the government but had a love for mathematics.
Paddy showed a knack for math early on, doing better than his classmates in the Malayalam medium at Government Karamana High School in Trivandrum. He wasn’t a child prodigy but consistently ranked high in his class.
After finishing ten years of school in 1972, Paddy joined Government Arts College in Trivandrum for a two-year Pre-degree course. He discovered the Feynman Lectures in Physics, which made him shift his focus from pure mathematics to theoretical physics.
After completing his pre-degree, Paddy pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Physics at the University College, Trivandrum (1974-77). During this time, he immersed himself in theoretical physics, dedicating long hours to studying Landau-Lifshitz volumes and delving into the complexities of gravity.
His expertise in theoretical physics, particularly General Relativity (GR), led him to publish his first technical paper in GR while still a B.Sc student in 1977. Paddy excelled in academics, earning a Gold Medal for topping the B.Sc exam and later pursuing a Master’s in Physics at Kerala University, where he again earned a Gold Medal in 1979.
Paddy joined the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in 1979 for his Ph.D. He became a tenured faculty member at TIFR in 1980 while still completing his Ph.D.
After completing his Ph.D., Paddy took a research associate position at the Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge. Paddy delved into the Statistical Mechanics of Gravitating Systems, exploring various aspects.
Thanu Padmanabhan is best known for his deep work investigating gravitation as an emergent thermodynamic phenomenon.
From 2008 to 2010, he served as the Convener of the Advisory Group appointed by the Department of Science and Technology, facilitating India’s entry into international collaborations for the next-generation Giant Segmented Mirror Telescopes.
From 2008 to 2011, he chaired the Indian National Science Academy’s National Committee, overseeing interactions with the International Astronomical Union.
Internationally, Paddy served as the President of the Commission 47 on Cosmology of the International Astronomical Union from 2009 to 2012.
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