Jayant Vishnu Narlikar: A man of Cosmology who proved Big Bang theory wrong and Defined the New Theory of Universe’s Origin

– Dr. Mukesh Kumar Khandelwal

Abstract

Jayant Vishnu Narlikar; a great scientist of astrophysics, offers excellent explanations for the Universe’s origin and evolution, particularly regarding the creation of matter and the nature of gravity. He challenged the Big Bang theory and proved it wrong mathematically also. His theory suggests that the gravitational constant (G) is not fixed but varies with the density of matter in the universe, unlike Einstein’s theory where it is a constant. His concept of varying gravitational constant (G) has been accepted by the world and included in textbooks as well.

Despite coining the term ‘Big Bang’ to describe the theory that the cosmos was created by a huge explosion 12,000 million years ago, Narlikar refused to accept its authenticity of Big Bang theory. Instead, he proved many stars were presented in the universe well before that time. He proved that the Universe had no singular beginning and that new galaxies formed in the gaps as others moved apart. The matter is continuously created to maintain a roughly constant density despite expansion Narlikar also worked on black hole theory and advocated the existence of white hole theory. He believed universe has no beginning or end and maintains a constant a constant density through continuous matter creation.

This article presents the contribution of the great scientist Jayant Vishnu Narlikar in brief.

The Background of the Proposed Concept

To push a matter around, a force is to be applied to create inertia in the matter. But the question came in the mind of Jayant Vishnu Narlikar, how that inertia is created in the matter. In this regard, March proposed that inertia comes because of the presence of the matter in well filled universe [1]. Inertia will not be created, if universe were empty, Mach said. However, it was a philosophical thought of Mach. This idea was about to taken up by Einstein in his theory of relativity but it was not taken up. Fred Hoyle and Jayant Vishnu Narlikar proposed a cohesive idea of Mach’s principle and relativity theory of Einstein which is known as Hoyle-Narlikar theory of gravity, they and proved this concept mathematically. This contrasts with the Newtonian view where inertia is considered an intrinsic property of matter.

Birth, Background, Education, and Family

On 19 July 1938, a star is born in Kolhapur Maharashtra at the house of Vishnu Vasudev and Sumati, an educated family. They gave him a name Jayant. The name Jayant, primarily a Hindu name, means “victorious” or “conqueror”. It is derived from the Sanskrit word “jaya,” which also signifies victory. And one day that boy really conquered the world through his wisdom and inventions. Vishnu Vasudev Narlikar was a professor of mathematics at Banaras Hindu University (BHU). He also served as head of the department of Mathematics at BHU. Jayant’s mother Sumati Narlikar was also a brilliant lady and a scholar of Sanskrit.

In Varanasi (also known as Banaras), he joined Central Hindu College (now Central Hindu Boys School).  After a brilliant performance in school Narlikar joined BHU and got his Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in 1957. Then he went to England for his higher studies and completed the mathematical tripos in 1959, for which he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in mathematics and was Senior Wrangler from Cambridge University. This degree was converted to an Oxbridge MA in 1964, without further study. Jayant Vishnu Narlikar received his PhD from the University of Cambridge in 1963. He completed his PhD in cosmology under the supervision of the renowned British cosmologist Sir Fred Hoyle. He also received his Sc.D. in 1976 from Cambridge.

His wife Mangala Narlikar was also a professor of mathematics. The couple had three daughters: Geeta, a biomedical researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, Girija and Leelavati who both work in computer science.

“Nation First” – Served for the Nation

Jayant Vishnu Narlikar had many options to work in foreign after completing his higher studies from Cambridge University, U.K. But he was willing to serve his nation only. Narlikar returned to India to join the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in 1972, where under his charge the Theoretical Astrophysics Group expanded and acquired international standing. In 1988 the University Grants Commission (UGC) invited him to set up the proposed Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) as its Founder Director. He held the Directorship of IUCAA until his retirement in 2003. Under his direction IUCAA has acquired a world-wide reputation as a centre for excellence in teaching and research in astronomy and astrophysics. After his retirement he became Emeritus Professor at IUCAA. In 2012 the Third World Academy of Sciences awarded him their prize for setting up a centre for excellence in science.

Awards and Honours

He has received several national and international awards and honorary doctorates. At the young age of 26 Jayant Vishun Narlikar received reputed Padam Bhusan award in 1965. Later, India’s second-highest civilian honour, Padma Vibhushan, was awarded to him in 2004 for his research work. He was awarded ‘Rashtra Bhushan’ in 1981 by FIE Foundation. He received Maharashtra Bhushan Award for the year 2010.  He is a Bhatnagar awardee (a most prestigious scientist award), as well as recipient of the M.P. Birla award, the Prix Janssen of the French Astronomical Society and an Associate of the Royal Astronomical Society of London. He is Fellow of the three national science academies as well as of the Third World Academy of Sciences. Apart from his scientific research, Narlikar has been well known as a science communicator through his books, articles, and radio/TV programmes. He is also known for his science fiction stories. For all these efforts, he was honoured by the UNESCO in 1996 with the Kalinga Award for popular science works.

Contribution to the Science

Jayant Vishnu Narlikar is famous for his well-known theory; the Hoyle-Narlikar theory, also known as the Quasi-Steady State Cosmology (QSSC), which proposes an alternative to the Big Bang theory by suggesting a universe that has always existed and is continuously expanding with the creation of matter, rather than having originated from a single event [2-4]. The Hoyle-Narlikar theory provides an alternative framework for understanding the universe’s evolution [5-6], focusing on continuous creation and a steady-state rather than a singular, explosive beginning [7-8]. Fig. 1 was captured when Dr Jayant Vishnu Narliker was explaining QSSC theory over Big Bang theory.   Table-1 shows how Hoyle-Narlikar theory corrects Big Bang Theory [9-10].

Fig. 1. A file photograph of the great scientist Jayant Vishnu Narlikar while challenging and explaining the big bang theory with his findings of steady state cosmology theory.

Corrections Proposed to Einstein’s theory of relativity

The Hoyle-Narlikar theory of gravity builds upon and modifies general relativity by incorporating Mach’s principle and introducing a “creation field” (C-field) to explain the continuous creation of matter. Hoyle-Narlikar theory agrees with general relativity in many macroscopic phenomena and classical tests, it offers different explanations for the universe’s origin and evolution, particularly regarding the creation of matter and the nature of gravity.

(A) Key difference can be realised through the following points:

• Continuous Matter Creation: Unlike general relativity, which often implies a beginning of the universe (e.g., the Big Bang), the Hoyle-Narlikar theory proposes a “creation field” that allows for the continuous creation of matter, aligning with the steady-state model of the universe.
• Varying Gravitational Constant: The theory suggests that the gravitational constant (G) is not fixed but varies with the density of matter in the universe, unlike Einstein’s theory where it is a constant.
• Action-at-a Distance: Instead of gravity acting through a spacetime curvature (as in general relativity), the Hoyle-Narlikar theory suggests gravity is an “action-at-a-distance” phenomenon where the mass of any object is influenced by all other masses in the universe [3,8].

(B) Relationship to Einstein’s Theory:

• Agreement on Macroscopic Phenomena: The Hoyle-Narlikar theory is designed to be equivalent to general relativity in describing macroscopic phenomena and the classical tests of general relativity.
• Different Cosmological Models: The theory supports the steady-state model of the universe, which contrasts with the Big Bang model often associated with general relativity [11].
• Alternative Explanations: While agreeing on many observable phenomena, the Hoyle-Narlikar theory provides different explanations for the universe’s origin, the nature of gravity, and the creation of matter.

Conclusion

India, a great country, gave birth to many great scientists, Jayant Vishnu Narlikar was one of them. He didn’t see the existence of universe from the other’s point of view. He not only proved the big bang theory wrong but also gave correction to the Einstein’s theory of relativity of gravity. Narlikar received India’s prestigious Padam Bhusana Award at the age of 26 only, in 1965. He wrote many scientific research articles and books, few of them are listed in [2-11].  Recently, this great scientist, Jayant Vishnu Narlikar died in his sleep on the morning of May 20, 2025, at the age of 87. His passing was announced by family sources and noted by various reputed news outlets

(Author is Associate Professor, Department of Electronic Science, University of Delhi South Campus, Delhi)

References

• Mach, Ernst (1960). The Science of Mechanics; a Critical and Historical Account of its Development. LaSalle, IL: Open Court Pub. Co. LCCN 60010179. This is a reprint of the English translation by Thomas H. MCormack (first published in 1906) with a new introduction by Karl Menger.
• Hoyle; J. V. Narlikar (1964). “A New Theory of Gravitation”. Proceedings of the Royal Society A. 282 (1389): 191–207. Bibcode:1964RSPSA.282..191H. doi:10.1098/rspa.1964.0227. S2CID 59402270.
• Hoyle, Narlikar (1995). “Cosmology and action-at-a-distance electrodynamics”. Reviews of Modern Physics. 67 (1): 113–155. Bibcode:1995RvMP…67..113H. doi:10.1103/RevModPhys.67.113.
• Hawking, S. W. (20 July 1965). “On the Hoyle–Narlikar Theory of Gravitation”. Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences. 286 (1406): 313–319. Bibcode:1965RSPSA.286..313H. doi:10.1098/rspa.1965.0146. S2CID 122705280.
• Narlikar, Jayant V. (March 1974). “Mini-bangs in cosmology and astrophysics”. Pramana. 2 (3): 158–170. Bibcode:1974Prama…2..158N. doi:10.1007/BF02847326. S2CID 123001024.
• V. Narlikar; R.G. Vishwakarma; Amir Hajian; Tarun Souradeep; G. Burbidge; F. Hoyle (2003). “Inhomogeneities in the Microwave Background Radiation interpreted within the framework of the Quasi-Steady State Cosmology”. Astrophysical Journal. 585 (1): 1–11. arXiv:astro-ph/0211036. Bibcode:2003ApJ…585….1N. doi:10.1086/345928. S2CID 15618626.
• V. Narlikar; N. C. Rana (1983). “Cosmic microwave background spectrum in the Hoyle–Narlikar cosmology”. Physics Letters A. 99 (2–3): 75–76. Bibcode:1983PhLA…99…75N. doi:10.1016/0375-9601(83)90927-1.
• Hoyle, Fred; Narlikar, Jayant V.; Freeman, W.H. (1974). Action at a distance in physics and cosmology. W. H. Freeman and Company. ISBN 978-0716703464.
• Hoyle, Fred; Narlikar, Jayant V. (1996). Lectures on Cosmology and Action at a Distance Electrodynamics. World Scientific. ISBN 978-9810225582.
• Hoyle, Fred; Burbidge, Geoffrey; Narlikar, Jayant V. (2000). A Different Approach to Cosmology: From a Static Universe through the Big Bang towards Reality. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521662239.
• Narlikar, Jayant V. (2002). An Introduction to Cosmology (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521793766.

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