Symmetry and mathematics: pioneering insights into the structure of physics

Nityananda, Rajaram and Yajnik, Urjit A. (2015) Symmetry and mathematics: pioneering insights into the structure of physics. Resonance : Journal of Science Education, 20 (3). pp. 264-276. ISSN 0973-712X

[img]
Preview
Text - Published Version
Download (114kB) | Preview

Abstract

Ennackal Chandy George Sudarshan is an outstanding Indian theoretical physicist. He had his early training in Madras Christian College and TIFR Bombay. His PhD thesis work in Rochester supervised by Marshak solved a pressing problem of particle physics – the precise nature of the so-called weak interaction (see article by G Rajasekaran in the January 2014 issue of Resonance). His brilliance was well recognized and he was offered a faculty position in the State University of New York at Rochester, where he developed the ‘coherent state representation’ for the quantum theory of light, which brings out a remarkable and unexpected mathematical parallel with classical wave optics and is a widely used tool today. He has contributed to many other areas of theoretical physics, both at Rochester and the University of Texas in Austin. As the founder of the Centre for Theoretical Studies at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, and the director of the Institute of Mathematical Sciences in Chennai, he has had a strong connection with the Indian physics community. In this interview with his former student, U A Yajnik, of the physics department at IIT Mumbai, he goes over the many momentous events of his long career with a light and informal touch.

Item Type: Article
Authors: Nityananda, Rajaram and Yajnik, Urjit A.
Uncontrolled Keywords: Quantum Mechanic. Density Matrix. World Line. Relativistic Invariance. Spin Half Particle.
Subjects: Natural Sciences > Physics
Divisions: Azim Premji University > School of Arts and Sciences
Full Text Status: Public
Related URLs:
URI: http://publications.azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/id/eprint/131
Publisher URL: https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/020/03...

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item