BHU’s Hydrogen Man passes away
Varanasi: Prof. ON Srivastava, Emeritus Professor, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), who was known for his contributions to the disciplines of hydrogen energy and nanotechnology, is no more. He succumbed to coronavirus at the Sir Sunderlal Hospital of BHU on Saturday. He was 79.
Born in 1942, Prof. Srivastava was a material physicist and vice president for India and South Asia of the International Association for Hydrogen Energy. He was the author of two books and over 440 scientific papers and a recipient of several honors including Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, the highest Indian award in the science and technology categories. He received the fourth highest civilian honour – Padma Shri in 2016, for his contributions to science.
He obtained his master’s degree in Physics (MSc) in 1961 from BHU and followed it up with a doctoral degree (PhD) from the same institution, under the guidance of renowned physicist Ajit Ram Verma, in 1966. After doing his post-doctoral research at Cornell University, USA, he returned to India to start his career as a lecturer at BHU, where he served in different capacities as that of a reader, professor, head of the department of physics and the coordinator of the Centre of Advance Studies-Hydrogen Energy Centre. After his superannuation from service, he continues his association with the university as a professor emeritus and as an associate faculty member of Condensed Matter Experiment research program of the university.
Prof. Srivastava was a former member of the board of directors of The World Academy of Sciences. Under his guidance, the Hydrogen Energy Centre of BHU got involved in advance research on the practical applications of hydrogen fuel, in association with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), of the Government of India.
He published two books, Crystallography Applied to Solid State Physics and Formation and phase stability of Al based quasicrystals: Quasicrystal and over 440 scientific papers. He delivered keynote addresses in a number of science seminars and had undertaken several projects for various government agencies; Nanoscience and Technology of the Department of Science and Technology (2005–2010), Support to Hydrogen Energy Centre (2007–2012), Development & Demonstration of Hydrogen Catalytic Combustion Cookers (2007–2010), Development & Demonstration of Hydrogen Fueled three wheelers (2009–2012), Mission Mode Project on Hydrogen Storage Materials (Hydride) (2009–2014), all of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, and Synthesis Characterization and Properties of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes (2009–2012) of the Defence Research and Development Organization.
