The discovery of black holes is one of the most important scientific breakthroughs of the 20th century. It is no surprise then that the man who made this discovery in India is considered a pioneer in the field of astrophysics.
C.V. Vishveshwara, popularly known as the ‘black hole man of India’, was a renowned astrophysicist who specialized in Einstein’s General Relativity. He worked extensively on the theory of black holes and made major contributions to this field of research since its very beginning.
Born in Mysore, India in 1938, Vishveshwara was an alumnus of the University of Mysore and the University of Cambridge. He obtained his doctoral degree from the University of Cambridge in 1966, under the supervision of Charles W. Misner.
Vishveshwara’s research focused on the mathematical properties of black holes and the various aspects of their physical behavior. He made significant contributions to the understanding of the structure of black holes and their thermodynamic properties. He also studied the behavior of matter and radiation in the vicinity of black holes.
In addition to his research, Vishveshwara was also an educator. He was a professor at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and later at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He also held visiting professorships at the University of Maryland, College Park, and the University of Chicago.
Vishveshwara’s work on black holes was widely recognized and appreciated. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest civilian honors, in 1976. He was also a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences and the Indian National Science Academy.
Vishveshwara passed away in 2017, leaving behind a legacy of pioneering work in the field of astrophysics. His contributions to the understanding of black holes are invaluable and will continue to inspire future generations of astrophysicists.
C.V. Vishveshwara was a pioneering astrophysicist who made significant contributions to the understanding of black holes. His work on the mathematical properties of black holes and their thermodynamic properties was groundbreaking and is still relevant today. He was a professor at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and later at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He was also a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences and the Indian National Science Academy. Vishveshwara was awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest civilian honors, in 1976. He will be remembered as the ‘black hole man of India’ for his pioneering work in the field of astrophysics.