Devendra Lal, the Renowned Geophysicist Died At 83

Devendra Lal, the renowned geophysicist as well as the visiting professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), University of California died at 83 on 1 December 2012. He passed away at his home in San Diego.

About Devendra Lal

•Devendra Lal started his career in research when he was 20 years of age. He started his career at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai. His areas of research there were earth and planetary sciences, cosmic ray physics as well as astrophysics. He mainly studied records of the climate which are found in terrestrial minerals.
•He also set up National Radiocarbon Laboratory at TIFR so as to assist chronological studies of Indian archaeological sites dating back to the Harappan era.
•Additionally, he also set up Tritium Laboratory at TIFR. Tritium Laboratory was then shifted to National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad.
•From 1972 to 1983, he was the Director of Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmadabad.
•Devendra Lal won prestigious award of CSIR- Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award in 1967.
•He was conferred with Padma Shri in 1971.
•Devendra Lal also won NASA Group Achievement Award.
•He won Hans Peterson Medal from Royal Swedish Academy.