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Salute to living legend Dr. Ashok Madho Patwardhan


When Dr. Ashok Madho Patwardhan arrived by train to join the Department of Geology at Panjab University, Chandigarh, in 1966, few could have imagined the profound impact he would have on generations of students. He quickly became a hero among us—not by any effort to seek popularity, but simply through the sheer brilliance of his teaching and his quiet, dignified presence.

Among students, he soon came to be spoken of in the same breath as the legendary Dr. Shashi Bhushan Bhatia. For me personally, the choice of MSc thesis guide was clear. I submitted all three of my options naming only one person—my hero and role model, Dr. A.M. Patwardhan.

Under his mentorship, I worked on the Mussoorie Phosphorite, a collaboration that bore exceptional fruit. Together, we co-authored five international research papers, including our very first—published in Nature (London) in March 1971, arguably the most prestigious science journal in the world. The others appeared in reputable journals in Heidelberg, Germany, and the United States.

The six years I spent working with Dr. Patwardhan laid the entire foundation of my research journey. From the discipline of scientific inquiry to the art of clear writing and confident presentation, everything I learned as a young geologist was deeply shaped by his mentorship.

To this day, I remain indebted to him—not only for the academic guidance but also for the values of humility, rigor, and quiet excellence that he embodied. May God bless him with a long life and good health.