Indian-origin scientist Shrinivas R Kulkarni wins prestigious Shaw Prize in astronomy for 2024

Shrinivas R Kulkarni is the George Ellery Hale Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Science, Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy at the California Institute of Technology.

Hong Kong:  Shrinivas R Kulkarni, an Indian-origin professor of astronomy from the US will be bestowed the prestigious Shaw Prize in Astronomy for his ground-breaking discoveries about millisecond pulsars, gamma-ray bursts, supernovae, and other variable or transient astronomical objects.

Apart from Kulkarni, who is the George Ellery Hale Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Science, Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy at the California Institute of Technology, the other Shaw Prize awardees are Swee Lay Thein and Stuart Orkin, both from the US, who received the Shaw Prize in Life Science and Medicine is awarded in equal shares, and Peter Sarnak, another US scientist who received the Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences.

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“The Shaw Prize in Astronomy is awarded to Shrinivas R Kulkarni, for his ground-breaking discoveries about millisecond pulsars, gamma-ray bursts, supernovae, and other variable or transient astronomical objects. His contributions to time-domain astronomy culminated in the conception, construction and leadership of the Palomar Transient Factory and its successor, the Zwicky Transient Facility, which has revolutionised our understanding of the time-variable optical sky,” The Shaw Prize Foundation said on Tuesday here while announcing the Shaw Laureates for 2024.

“The Shaw Prize consists of three annual prizes: Astronomy, Life Science and Medicine, and Mathematical Sciences, each bearing a monetary award of USD 1.2 million. This will be the 21st year that the Prize has been awarded and the presentation ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, November 12 in Hong Kong,” the Foundation said.

According to his bio posted on Caltech’s Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy website, Kulkarni did MS from the Indian Institute of Technology in 1978 and followed it with a PhD from the University of California in 1983. Among the many of his achievements, he was also the director of Caltech Optical Observatories from 2006 till 2018.

According to The Shaw Prize website, Hong Kong-based film and television personality and philanthropist Run Run Shaw (1907–2014) founded the Shaw Foundation Hong Kong and The Sir Run Run Shaw Charitable Trust, both of which are dedicated to the promotion of education, scientific and technological research, medical and welfare services, and culture and the arts.