Dr. M. S. Valiathan (1934–2024) was a pioneering Indian cardiac surgeon, the founding director of the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute (Thiruvananthapuram), and a key force behind India’s indigenous TTK-Chitra mechanical heart valve. Trained at Trivandrum Medical College,Liverpool, and later at Johns Hopkins and Georgetown, he combined surgery with biomedical innovation and institution-building. He served as the first Vice- Chancellor of the Manipal Academy of Higher Education, became a National Research Professor, and wrote acclaimed works on Ayurveda (The Legacy of Caraka, Suśruta, and Vāgbhaṭa). Honours include the Padma Vibhushan (2005) and leadership of the Indian National Science Academy

Dr. P. K. Iyengar (1931–2011) was a prominent Indian nuclear physicist who played a key role in shaping India’s nuclear program. Known for his expertise in neutron scattering and reactor technology, he contributed significantly to the development of the country’s first nuclear device and was an important member of the team behind the 1974 Pokhran-I test. Over his career, he held several leadership roles, including Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission. A strong advocate of scientific self-reliance, Iyengar worked to advance indigenous research, encourage innovation, and support young scientists. His legacy remains influential in India’s scientific and strategic development.

Dr. M. S. Swaminathan (1925–2023) was a pioneering Indian geneticist widely known as the Father of the Green Revolution in India. His work on high-yielding wheat and rice varieties transformed India’s agriculture and helped the nation achieve food security. He founded the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation and contributed greatly to sustainable farming and rural development. Honored nationally and internationally, he received the Bharat Ratna, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, and the World Food Prize, among many others. His legacy continues to shape India’s scientific and agricultural progress.

Prof. Thanu Padmanabhan (1957–2021) was an internationally renowned theoretical physicist whose work transformed modern cosmology and gravitational theory. Born in Thiruvananthapuram, he showed extraordinary talent early in life, publishing his first research paper as an undergraduate. After completing his PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), he went on to make pioneering contributions to quantum gravity, the thermodynamics of spacetime, and the idea that gravity may be an emergent phenomenon rather than a fundamental force. Over the course of his career, he authored several influential books including Gravitation: Foundations and Frontiers, An Invitation to Astrophysics, Dawn of Science, and Theoretical Astrophysics (a celebrated three-volume set). His clarity of thought, exceptional teaching style, and deep insights made him one of India’s most respected physicists. He guided numerous doctoral students, delivered lectures around the world, and significantly advanced our understanding of the universe. His legacy continues to shape research in cosmology, spacetime physics, and the foundations of gravity.

E. K. Janaki Ammal (1897–1984) was a pioneering Indian botanist and cytogeneticist widely respected for her groundbreaking work in plant genetics, particularly in sugarcane and brinjal. She was one of the first Indian women to earn a doctorate in science and made significant contributions to understanding plant chromosomes and hybridization. Janaki Ammal played a key role in developing high-yielding sugarcane varieties suited to Indian conditions and conducted influential research at institutions in India, the UK, and the USA. A dedicated scientist and nature conservationist, she was honored with the Padma Shri and is remembered as one of India’s most remarkable women in science.

Sri P. T. Bhaskara Panicker (1922–1997) was a noted social activist and writer from Kerala. Born on 15 October 1922 in Adakkaputhur, Palakkad, he worked briefly as a school teacher after completing his BSc and BT. A leading figure in the science popularisation movement through the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad in the 1960s and 1970s, he founded and edited journals such as Sasthra Keralam, Primary Teacher, and Pusthaka Sameeksha. He also edited major encyclopedias including Jeevacharithrakosam, Science Encyclopedia for Children, Balavijnanakosam, Sasthra Vijnanakosam, and Dravida Vijnanakosam. Author of over 100 books, mostly in science and education, he passed away on 30 December 1997.

Prof. P. R. Pisharoty, regarded as the father of remote sensing in India, was a pioneering meteorologist and physicist. After early work at Loyola College, Chennai, and with C. V. Raman at the Indian Institute of Science, he became the founding Director of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune. He led India’s first successful remote-sensing experiment by detecting coconut wilt-root disease using aircraft-based equipment. He later served as Director of Remote Sensing and Satellite Meteorology at the ISRO Space Applications Centre and chaired the Scientific Advisory Board of the World Meteorological Organization. In recognition of his contributions, the national remote-sensing award was renamed the P. R. Pisharoty Memorial Award.