Gangtok: Prof Avinash Khare, an eminent astrophysicist and one of the most renowned scientists in the field of plasma research, has been appointed the new vice-chancellor of Sikkim University.
Confirming the news to EastMojo, Prof Khare said he will be joining the university on October 9.
Prof Khare did his PhD from the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, in the field of mirror machines in 1984. Subsequently, he joined the Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), Gandhinagar, where he remained until 2000.
Since 2005, he has been working with the department of physics and astrophysics, University of Delhi, as dean and director of faculty of technology.
Prof Khare’s major contributions include a theory of ideal internal kink in tokamak, which he proposed with JB Taylor, Steven Cowley and Jim Hastie. In the field of dusty plasmas, he proposed a theory of critical point and phase coexistence and predicted the existence of electrostatic pressure which has been verified experimentally. In non-neutral plasma, he did early work on toroidal equilibrium and confinement. In space physics, he predicted the existence of compact dust objects.
Prof Khare served as the vice president (2000-02) and the president (2010-12) of Plasma Science Society Of India (PSSI). He is a fellow of all three major academies, namely, Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi; National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad; and Indian Academy of Sciences, Bengaluru. He is also a recipient of the Homi Bhabha Fellowship Award (1993-95).
He was recently awarded the Biren Roy Memorial medal at the Indian National Science Academy in New Delhi.
