Predhiman Krishan Kaw

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Predhiman Krishan Kaw (15 January 1948 – 18 June 2017)[1] was an Indian plasma physicist. He had been the founding director[2] of the Institute for Plasma Research and served the institute as the director from 1986 to 2012.

Predhiman Krishan Kaw
Born(1948-01-15)15 January 1948
Died18 June 2017(2017-06-18) (aged 69)
NationalityIndian
Alma materIndian Institute of Technology
Princeton University
Physical Research Laboratory
Known forPlasma Physics Theory
AwardsShanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award
Padma Shri
TWAS Prize
Scientific career
FieldsPlasma Physics, Laser Physics
InstitutionsInstitute for Plasma Research
Doctoral advisorProf. M. S. Sodha

Biography

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Kaw was born on 15 January 1948 in Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir), India. He matriculated from Punjab University (1958) and completed his M.Sc. from Agra University in 1964. He received PhD from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi in 1966 under Supervision of Prof. M. S. Sodha, and was the first Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.[3] Kaw received his Ph.D. at the age of 18,[1] following which he completed his PostDoc at Princeton University. He had been the founding director[2] of the Institute for Plasma Research and served the institute as the director from 1986 to 2012. He was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri award, India's fourth-highest honor, in 1985 and Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in 1986. On 28 December 2016, he was awarded the Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar Prize of Plasma Physics for his seminal contributions in the areas of laser-plasma interactions, strongly coupled dusty plasmas, and turbulence, nonlinear effect in magnetic fusion devices. He is also a recipient of the 2008 TWAS Prize.[4] His older brother is bureaucrat and author M. K. Kaw.

Professional details

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Year Institute Designation
1967-1969 Princeton University Postdoctoral Fellow
1969-1971 Princeton University, USA Research Staff & Lecturer
1971-1974 Physical Research Laboratory, India Associate Professor
1974-1975 Physical Research Laboratory, India Professor
1975-1982 Princeton University, USA Principal Research Physicist Lecturer in Astrophysical Sciences
1982-1986 Plasma Physics Programme, Physical Research Laboratory, India Director
1986-2012 Institute for Plasma Research, Gandhinagar, India Director
2012–2017 Institute for Plasma Research, Gandhinagar, India DST Year of Science Professor

Selected articles and talks

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References

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  1. ^ a b John, P.I.; Sen, Abhijit (25 July 2017). "Predhiman Krishan Kaw -- Personal News" (PDF). Current Science. 113 (2): 337.
  2. ^ a b "Staff Page, Institute for Plasma Research". Institute for Plasma Research. 1 February 2010. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  3. ^ "Distinguished Alumni Awards".
  4. ^ "Prizes and Awards". The World Academy of Sciences. 2016.
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