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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Seventy-six mayors ruled BMC since 1931

After four years, Mumbai to salute its first citizen Kishori Pednekar Vishwanath Mahadeshwar Snehal Ambekar Sunil Prabhu Mumbai: As the date for appointing Mumbai’s First Citizen looms closer, various political parties have adopted tough posturing to foist their own person for the coveted post of Mayor – the ‘face’ of the country’s commercial capital. Ruling Mahayuti allies Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena have vowed that the city...

Seventy-six mayors ruled BMC since 1931

After four years, Mumbai to salute its first citizen Kishori Pednekar Vishwanath Mahadeshwar Snehal Ambekar Sunil Prabhu Mumbai: As the date for appointing Mumbai’s First Citizen looms closer, various political parties have adopted tough posturing to foist their own person for the coveted post of Mayor – the ‘face’ of the country’s commercial capital. Ruling Mahayuti allies Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena have vowed that the city will get a ‘Hindu Marathi’ person to head India’s richest civic body, while the Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT)-Maharashtra Navnirman Sena also harbour fond hopes of a miracle that could ensure their own person for the post. The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) optimism stems from expectations of possible political permutations-combinations that could develop with a realignment of forces as the Supreme Court is hearing the cases involving the Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party this week. Catapulted as the largest single party, the BJP hopes to install a first ever party-man as Mayor, but that may not create history. Way back in 1982-1983, a BJP leader Dr. Prabhakar Pai had served in the top post in Mumbai (then Bombay). Incidentally, Dr. Pai hailed from Udupi district of Karnataka, and his appointment came barely a couple of years after the BJP was formed (1980), capping a distinguished career as a city father, said experts. Originally a Congressman, Dr. Pai later shifted to the Bharatiya Janata Party, then back to Congress briefly, founded the Janata Seva Sangh before immersing himself in social activities. Second Administrator The 2026 Mayoral elections have evoked huge interest not only among Mumbaikars but across the country as it comes after nearly four years since the BMC was governed by an Administrator. This was only the second time in the BMC history that an Administrator was named after April 1984-May 1985. On both occasions, there were election-related issues, the first time the elections got delayed for certain reasons and the second time the polling was put off owing to Ward delimitations and OBC quotas as the matter was pending in the courts. From 1931 till 2022, Mumbai has been lorded over by 76 Mayors, men and women, hailing from various regions, backgrounds, castes and communities. They included Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Parsis, Sikhs, even a Jew, etc., truly reflecting the cosmopolitan personality of the coastal city and India’s financial powerhouse. In 1931-1932, the Mayor was a Parsi, J. B. Boman Behram, and others from his community followed like Khurshed Framji Nariman (after whom Nariman Point is named), E. A. Bandukwala, Minoo Masani, B. N. Karanjia and other bigwigs. There were Muslims like Hoosenally Rahimtoola, Sultan M. Chinoy, the legendary Yusuf Meherally, Dr. A. U. Memon and others. The Christian community got a fair share of Mayors with Joseph A. D’Souza – who was Member of Constituent Assembly representing Bombay Province for writing-approving the Constitution of India, M. U. Mascarenhas, P. A. Dias, Simon C. Fernandes, J. Leon D’Souza, et al. A Jew Elijah Moses (1937-1938) and a Sikh M. H. Bedi (1983-1984), served as Mayors, but post-1985, for the past 40 years, nobody from any minority community occupied the august post. During the silver jubilee year of the post, Sulochana M. Modi became the first woman Mayor of Mumbai (1956), and later with tweaks in the rules, many women ruled in this post – Nirmala Samant-Prabhavalkar (1994-1995), Vishakha Raut (997-1998), Dr. Shubha Raul (March 2007-Nov. 2009), Shraddha Jadhav (Dec. 2009-March 2012), Snehal Ambedkar (Sep. 2014-March 2017). The last incumbent (before the Administrator) was a government nurse, Kishori Pednekar (Nov. 2019-March 2022) - who earned the sobriquet of ‘Florence Nightingale’ of Mumbai - as she flitted around in her full white uniform at the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic, earning the admiration of the citizens. Mumbai Mayor – high-profile post The Mumbai Mayor’s post is considered a crucial step in the political ladder and many went on to become MLAs, MPs, state-central ministers, a Lok Sabha Speaker, Chief Ministers and union ministers. The formidable S. K. Patil was Mayor (1949-1952) and later served in the union cabinets of PMs Jawaharlal Nehru, Lah Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi; Dahyabhai V. Patel (1954-1955) was the son of India’s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel; Manohar Joshi (1976-1977) became the CM of Maharashtra, later union minister and Speaker of Lok Sabha; Chhagan Bhujbal (1985-1986 – 1990-1991) became a Deputy CM.

‘He made science accessible to all’

It is with profound grief that I learnt of the passing away of Dr. Jayant Vishnu Narlikar, an eminent scientist in astrophysics, cosmology, and science communication, on May 20, 2025.


As we mourn his loss, it is also a time to reflect and celebrate a life of extraordinary intellect, curiosity, and dedication to unravelling the mysteries of the cosmos.


Dr. Narlikar’s contributions to theoretical astrophysics, his role in nurturing scientific talent in India, and in the establishment of the IUCAA, a globally acclaimed institution, and his efforts to make science accessible to all will continue to inspire generations.


Dr. Narlikar was born on July 19, 1938 in Kolhapur, Maharashtra to illustrious parents - Vishnu Vasudeva Narlikar, a well-known mathematician, and Sumati Narlikar, a Sanskrit scholar of eminence.


He received his early education at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), where his father worked as a Professor and Head of the Department of Mathematics.


The young Jayant Narlikar had a brilliant career in school and intermediate. He obtained his BSc degree from the BHU in 1957.


As was the case in those days, he opted to pursue his higher studies at Cambridge, UK. He was a Wrangler and Tyson Medallist in the Mathematical Tripos at Cambridge, from where he obtained his degrees in mathematics: B.A. (1960), Ph.D. (1963), M.A. (1964), and Sc.D. (1976).


He also distinguished himself at Cambridge with the Smith’s Prize in 1962 and the Adams Prize in 1967. He stayed back at Cambridge till 1972, as a Fellow of King’s College (1963-72) and Founder Staff Member of the Institute of Theoretical Astronomy (1966-72).


It was during this period that Dr Narlikar laid the foundations of his research work in cosmology and astrophysics in collaboration with his internationally acclaimed mentor, guide, and collaborator, Fred Hoyle.


One of Dr. Narlikar's most significant contributions is his development of the "Hoyle-Narlikar Theory," also known as the "Quasi-Steady State Cosmology (QSSC).”


This cosmological theory proposes an alternative explanation for the origin and evolution of the universe, challenging the widely accepted Big Bang theory of that time.


Dr. Narlikar returned to India from Cambridge to join the Theoretical Astrophysics Group at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), where he served for seventeen long years, from 1972-1989.


This group, under the leadership of Dr Narlikar, expanded and acquired international standing for TIFR in the field of theoretical astrophysics, which TIFR continues to enjoy even today.


In 1988, Dr Narlikar was extended an invitation by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to set up the proposed Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), as its Founder Director.


Today, IUCAA stands out as one of the institutions of excellence in teaching and research in astronomy and astrophysics, not just in India but globally, and the ideals the work ethics, and culture, which Dr Narlikar instituted at this institution, have continued to guide this institution.


Dr Narlikar has also served as the President of the Cosmology Commission of the International Astronomical Union from 1994 to 1997.


He has received several national and international awards and honorary doctorates.


He was a Bhatnagar awardee, as well as a recipient of the M.P. Birla award, the Prix Janssen of the French Astronomical Society, and a prestigious Associate of the Royal Astronomical Society of London.


He was a Fellow of the three national science academies as well as of the Third World Academy of Sciences.


Dr. Narlikar, belongs to one of the rare breed of scientists, who notwithstanding their international stature, always find time to connect ‘Science with People’, either through his popular science writings, fiction, both in English and most importantly in his mother tongue Marathi.


It is therefore no wonder that most school and college going students from yesteryears to current times, have grown up reading Dr Narlikar’s writings, particularly his fiction works.


Two examples of his fiction writing in Marathi, which he had written three decades ago, resonate with current times. ‘In his fictional story, titled Athenscha Plague’ (The plague in Athens), included in his book ‘Antaralatale Bhasmasur’ (Demons in the Space), Narlikar had written about the deadly viruses and how they pose danger to human society.


Dr Narlikar has contributed many science articles in leading newspapers and has participated in radio/TV programmes for debates and discussion as a part of his science popularisation activities.


For his stellar contributions to science communication and popularising science, Dr Narlikar was honoured by UNESCO in 1996 with the prestigious Kalinga Award for his extraordinary popular science works.


Dr Narlikar is also the recipient of the prestigious Padma Bhushan award from the Government of India in 1965 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2004. In the year 2011, the Maharashtra government awarded him the state’s highest

civilian award, the Maharashtra Bhushan.


Dr Narlikar served as the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai, the centre, which I had the honour to head for two terms. I vividly remember the honour that I had to conduct a curatorial walk of the exhibition on ‘100 Years of Nobel Prizes’, which was presented at IUCAA in 2001. Dr Narlikar has delivered innumerable lectures and conducted many interactions with students at the Nehru Science Centre.


Dr. Narlikar’s life was a testament to the power of curiosity, rigor, and compassion. He not only expanded our understanding of the universe but also inspired countless individuals to dream big and pursue knowledge. May his soul rest in eternal peace, and may his legacy continue to illuminate the cosmos and our lives.


Rest in Peace, Dr Jayant V. Narlikar.


(The author is Advisor at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya Mumbai, and a former Director with Nehru Science Centre in New Delhi & Mumbai. Views personal.)

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