Eminent Punjabi scientist dies in USA

[Deep Singh]

Eminent Punjabi scientist dies in USA

Tribune News Service

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040923/...3/punjab1.htm#7

Chandigarh, September 22

An eminent scientist, D r Jagir Singh Randhawa, has died at the age of 81 in the USA. He was suffering from bone cancer and he passed away in that country on September 7, according to his relatives in Mohali. He is survived by two daughters, both married and settled in the USA.

Dr Randhawa earned international fame for developing an instrument by which physicists can measure the effect on the ozone layer of the nitrous oxide released during supersonic flights. He got the patent for the device, which led the US Government under President Jimmy Carter to reconsider its plans for supersonic planes.

Born on November 1, 1922, in Vahila Teja village in Gurdaspur district, Dr Jagir Singh Randhawa graduated from Government College, Lahore, in 1946. After Partition his family settled at Kala Afghana. He taught physics at Khalsa College, Amritsar.

The college had refused him admission as a student because he could not arrange enough funds to pay the fee and other charges. Later, he took up government lecturership and taught at Ropar and Rohtak.

In 1957 he got a scholarship from the University of Colorado to do his masters. This was followed by Ph.D from New Mexico State University. Dr Randhawa's thesis on ozone attracted the attention of the authorities at the Atmospheric Sciences Laboratory and they did not want to lose this bright scholar. As Dr Randhawa had gone on a student visa, the US authorities changed the rules t

o grant him US citizenship. He joined the US Army as a research physicist and made his name in the world of science.

For 30 years Dr Randhawa worked in the USA. He travelled all over the world, participating in international conferences. When his wife died, he donated $30,000 to sponsor a Narinder K. Randhawa scholarship at California State University, Fresno.

Last year, when he came to India, he gave Rs 25 lakh to Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, to set up Baba Budhaji chair. In an interview he had said: "I don't plan to come back too many times. It is hard to travel".

His bhog ceremony will be held at Gurdwara Sacha Dham in Phase 3-B II of Mohali on Friday.

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Anyone knew him?

[Simran9]

damn! never heard of him....sad how sometimes we find out bout these kinda ppl when they die

btw

After Partition his family settled at Kala Afghana

kala afghana is a place? any connection to the person kala afghana? sorry, this is so off topic.

[Son of Guru Gobind Singh Ji]

Kala Afghana is name of a town, actually two but they are usually reffered to as together. Sadly Mr. Gurbaksh also happens to be from this area, but nothing wrong the area itself though.