36th Annual Report (2023-24)

188 gave a Public Lecture on the Technology Challenges of Aditya-L1 mission on 12 January 2024 (Ninth Regional AstronomyMeeting 2024 at Manipal). 12. Prof. B. Eswar Reddy, Programme Director of the India TMT Coordination Center (ITCC) Dean, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, gave a Public Lecture on The Thirty Meter Telescope - A New Window to the Universe on 10 January 2024 (Ninth Regional Astronomy Meeting 2024 at Manipal). 13. Dr Joby Kochappan, a Postdoctoral Fellow, gave a seminar on Observational evidence for Early Dark Energy as a solution to the Hubble tension on 5 January 2024. 14. Prof. Tarun Souradeep, Director, Raman Research Institute, gave a talk on Quests &Conquests: Gravitational Wave Science on 28December 2023. 15. Prof. Tirthankar Roy Choudhury, National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, gave a talk on Cosmic Neutral Hydrogen as a Probe of the First Stars in the Universe on 21December 2023. 16. Prof. A. Gopakumar, TIFR, Mumbai, India Chair, Indian Pulsar Timing Array, gave a talk on the Murmuring of the fabric of our Universe on 19December 2023. 17. Dr . Deban j an Bose , Schoo l o f Astrophysics, Presidency University, Kolkata, gave a talk on Probing High Energy Universe with Gamma-rays and Neutrinos on 22November 2023. 18. Dr. Murthy Dharmapura, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Coordinator, Center for Renewable Energy, Manipal Institute of Technology, MAHE, gave a talk on Prospects and Challenges in sunlight-driven H 2 generation via water splitting " on 15 November 2023. 19. Prof. B. S. Acharya, former Senior Professor at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, gave a talk on Ground-based Gamma- ray Astronomy on08November 2023. 20. A popular talk on “ Seminar on Quantum Mechanics of Inflationary Cosmological Perturbations ” by Dr Rathul Nath Raveendran, Research Associate, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata, at MCNS on 16 October 2023. 21. A popular talk on “ Search for candidate binary black holes ” by Dr. Sumana Nandi, Assistant Prof, MCNS, MAHE, Manipal at MCNS on 11October 2023. 22. A popular talk on X-ray Variability of Black Hole Systems: The AstroSat Advantage by Prof. Ranjeev Misra, IUCAA, Pune, at MCNS on 04 October 2023. 23. A popular talk on Magnetic Instabilities and Dynamics in Compact Stars by Dr. Prasanta Bera, Open University of Israel, Ra'anana, Israel, at MCNS on 27 September 2023. 24. A popular talk on Nuclear Transients – their complexity & environment by Dr. Rupak Roy, Assistant Professor, MCNS, MAHE, Manipal at MCNS on 20 September 2023. 25. Popular talk on Grouping with the measure of increased tie with gravity order: An adaptive friend-of-friend group finder by Dr Surajit Paul, Associate Professor, MCNS, MAHE, Manipal at MCNS on 06 September 2023. 26. A popular talk on The Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope: A Technological and Scientific Milestone in Indian Science by Prof. Ishwara Chandra C. H., Professor & Dean, GMRT Observatory, NCRA-TIFR, Pune, at MCNS on 29 June 2023. 27. A popular talk on Space Science Programs of ISRO by Dr. V. Girish, Deputy Director, Science Program Office, ISRO, Bangalore, at MCNS on09 June 2023. 28. A popular talk on X-ray Study of the Sun – My experiences with sounding rockets by Dr P. S. Athiray, University of Alabama, Huntsville Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, USA, at MCNS on 02 June 2023 29. A popular talk on X-ray imaging spectroscopy to study solar active region heating , by Dr P. S. Athiray, University of Alabama, Huntsville Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, USA, at MCNS on01 June 2023 The ninth Regional Astronomy meeting on 'Research in Astronomy: Opportunities and Challenges' was held at the Manipal Centre for Natural Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, from10- 12 January 2024, jointly organised and funded by MAHE and IUCAA. The regional astronomy meeting is an annual program that aims to provide a platform for researchers from universities and institutes, primarily from Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, to showcase their work and encourage future collaboration. 122 researchers from various universities and institutes participated in themeeting. Out of 54 abstracts submitted for the meeting, 29 were selected for oral presentation and 14 abstracts were selected as posters. In addition to the student/young researcher talks on their present research work, there were dedicated discussion sessions on establishing a roadmap for inter- institutional collaborative research work, which is the key to addressing important science problems. The meeting was coordinated by Debbijoy Bhattacharya, MCNS, MAHE andRanjeevMisra, IUCAA. 1. A recipient of the ASI Zubin Kembhavi Award for Global elemental mapping of l una r su r f ace by pay l oads on Chandrayaan-2 team (Dr P. Sreekumar as one of themembers). 2. C. Chakraborty, Individual Member, International Astronomical Union (IAU). Workshop/School Organised Honours/distinctions/awards,etc.