Pratidhvani - Humanizing Science

May 14 2024 2

Pratidhvani - Humanizing Science Podcast artwork

Namaste, Hola & Welcome! I am your host, Dr. G.V. Pavan Kumar. I am a Professor of Physics at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, India. Pratidhvani (ಪ್ರತಿಧ್ವನಿ/प्रतिध्वनि) – means resonance or reflection (of sound). Through this podcast, I intend to humanize science. The podcast has two themes: 1) biographical conversations with people involved in scientific research and 2) my thoughts on the history of science. I create the podcast in my individual capacity. My profile: http://sites.iiserpune.ac.in/~pavan My twitter handle : @Pavan_KumarGV

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Ep. 54 - Conversation with Dibakar Roy Chowdhury : Metamaterials & Terahertz Technology

May 14 2024 79 mins

Dibakar Roy Chowdhury is a professor of physics at Mahindra University, Hyderabad. https://www.mahindrauniversity.edu.in/faculty/prof-dibakar-roy-chowdhury/ With a rich background in research, including stints at prestigious institutions like Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Australian National University, Dr. Roy Chowdhury has significantly contributed to our understanding o

Ep. 53 : Conversation with Sundar Sarukkai - Making of a Philosopher of Science

May 07 2024 131 mins

Note: The audio in the first 10 minutes is of lower quality Sundar Sarukkai is a philosopher who specializes in the natural and social sciences. His webpage : https://www.sundarsarukkai.in/ He has made significant contributions to the field as a professor and visiting faculty at various institutions. Sarukkai is the author of numerous books, including “Philosophy for Children,

Ep. 52 : Conversation with Mayurika Lahiri – Intellectual Journey of a Cancer Biologist

Apr 30 2024 112 mins

Mayurika is a cancer biologist and a senior faculty member at IISER Pune : https://www.iiserpune.ac.in/research/department/biology/people/faculty/regular-faculty/mayurika-lahiri/289 In this episode, we discuss her intellectual journey, how she became interested in molecular and cancer biology, her initiatives related to breast cancer research, and her role in the Genome India proj

Ep. 51: Conversation with Snigdha Thakur – Explorations in Computational Soft Matter and Life

Apr 23 2024 117 mins

Snigdha is a computational soft condensed matter physicist and a senior faculty member at IISER Bhopal: https://sthakurlab.iiserb.ac.in/. She uses computational physics to explore a variety of soft matter systems, including active matter and, of late biological systems. In this conversation, we discuss her journey as a physicist and how she developed an interest in soft condense

Ep. 50 : Conversation with Sudipta Maiti : Exploring Molecular Biophysics with Light

Apr 16 2024 124 mins

Sudipta is a molecular biophysicist who uses light and spectroscopy to study biologically relevant questions. He is a Professor at TIFR, Mumbai: http://www.biophotonics.co.in/ In this episode, we discussed what drew him to biophysics, his journey in establishing biophotonics as a research area in India, his motivation to start the FCS workshop and his thoughts on science in India.

Ep. 49 : Heaviside को Maxwellian क्यों कहा जाता है? | Why is Heaviside called Maxwellian ?

Apr 09 2024 20 mins

Youtube video version: https://youtu.be/hVAYYaoB_uE Link to the original blog : https://backscattering.blog/2023/09/15/oliver-heaviside-a-maxwellian/

Ep. 48 : Conversation with Jayant Murthy - Space Missions, Science Outreach & Asteroid Namesake

Apr 03 2024 118 mins

Jayant Murthy is a distinguished Senior Professor at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru. His research focuses on space missions, interstellar dust, and diffuse radiation fields. With a rich scientific background, a deep love for teaching and notable contributions to the discipline, Murthy's work exemplifies excellence in astrophysical research. Explore further at

Ep. 47 : Conversation with Umkant Rapol : Journey through Atomic Physics & Quantum Technologies

Mar 26 2024 117 mins

Umakant is an atomic physicist who is innovating on quantum optical technologies. What motivated him to study this fascinating area ? What has been his journey in atomic physics, quantum optics and the resultant technologies? We discuss this and many other things in this episode. Umakant Rapol, an accomplished experimental physicist, is known for his innovative research in quantum

Ep. 46 : Conversation with Sandhya Koushika - Neuroscientist Exploring Her Path

Mar 20 2024 135 mins

Sandhya Koushika is a Neurobiologist and a faculty member at the Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai : https://www.tifr.res.in/~dbs/faculty/koushika/people.html Her research focuses on understanding cargo transport in neurons, a critical process for nervous system development and preventing neurodegenerative diseases. In this free-wheel

Ep. 45 : Leonardo, Rayleigh and Blue Sky Research

Mar 12 2024 12 mins

Hyperlinks on my blog : https://backscattering.blog/2017/11/13/colourful-sky-in-leonardos-eye/