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Professor P. T. Narasimhan
(1928-2013)
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
Distinguished scientist Professor P. T. Narasimhan passed away on May 3rd, 2013 in Sunnyvale, California, USA after a long illness. He was 84 years old.
Professor Narasimhan, affectionately known as PTN to his many colleagues and students, was born in Cuddalore, India. He obtained Bachelors and Masters degrees in Physics and Chemistry at Madras Christian College and earned his Ph.D. in physical chemistry at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. He performed post-graduate work at Michigan State University in the US and subsequently held faculty positions at Michigan State University, University of Illinois and Columbia University in the United States. He returned to India in 1962 as one of the early faculty members at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. Over the next twenty five years, he established himself as a scientific leader and dedicated teacher in the fields of magnetic resonance and theoretical physical chemistry. He was instrumental in building I.I.T. Kanpur into one of the preeminent centers of academic research in the basic sciences. After his retirement from I.I.T. Kanpur in 1987, Professor Narasimhan moved to the United States and initiated a new phase of his research into novel medical and biological applications of magnetic resonance spectroscopy, first in association with the Huntington Memorial Research Institute and later at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).
Professor Narasimhan was accorded numerous recognitions for his contributions to science. He was elected a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences (1970), Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Sciences (1972; also serving as their General Secretary from 1977-1981) and Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India (1973). He was awarded the prestigious Sir Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award in the Chemical Sciences (1970). In 2009, in recognition of his services he was awarded the title of Institute Fellow by the Board of Directors of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. Throughout his career, Professor Narasimhan also enjoyed a reputation as an inspiring teacher and sought after mentor to scores of young undergraduate and graduate students. Outside science, music was Professor Narasimhan's abiding passion- he was a strong supporter of Indian Classical music and was himself an accomplished flautist in the Indian Carnatic musical tradition, performing in India and later on in the United States.
Professor Narasimhan is survived by his wife of 57 years, Leena and their children Dr. Nalini Murdter, Dr. Vikram Narasimhan and Dr. Nandini Narayan and six grandchildren. The family is planning private funeral services.
