Geophysicist Devendra Lal passed away
Devendra Lal (83), who was a geophysicist and visiting professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) of the University of California, San Diego, has passed away.
Contibutions:
- Started his career at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai.
- Worked on cosmic ray physics, earth and planetary sciences and astrophysics.
- Major role in setting up the national radiocarbon laboratory at the TIFR to facilitate the chronological studies of Indian archaeological sites going back to the Harappan era.
- Established a tritium laboratory at TIFR, which was later shifted to the National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad.
Awards:
- Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in 1967
- Padma Shri in 1971
- NASA Group Achievement Award (Skylab III)
- Hans Peterson Medal from the Royal Swedish Academy