Renowned physicist ECG Sudarshan passes away

Kottayam: Renowned scientist Ennackal Chandy George Sudarshan, popularly known as E.C.G. Sudarshan, 86,  passed away in Texas, USA,  on Monday.  Sudarshan,  who was  professor at the University of Texas for  40 years,  was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Physics nine times, but the honour eluded him.He  had made numerous contributions,  including optical coherence, quantum zero effect, Sudarshan-Glauber representation, V-A theory among others. He received several awards like ICTP Dirac Medal, Padma Vibhushan (2007), Padma Bhushan, Majorana Prize, TWAS Prize, Bose Award (1977) and C.V.  Raman Award (1970).

The scientist made path-breaking discoveries in the realm of quantum optics in a career spanning five decades. Sudarshan was also the first to prove wrong Albert Einstein’s theory that ‘nothing moves faster than light’ and proposed the existence of tachyons, the particles that move faster than light.  Sudarshan was born to E.I. Chandy and Achamma  of  Ennackal Pakkil,  Pallam,  Kottayam,  on September 16, 1931. He leaves his wife  Bhamathy and two sons.  One son predeceased him.