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Renowned physicist and gender equity proponent, Rohini Godbole dies at 71
She was best known for her work with CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research that hosts the world’s biggest atom-smasher, the Large Hadron Collider
Renowned theoretical physicist Rohini Godbole, whose contribution to expanding the understanding of the fundamental building blocks of nature was only matched by her groundbreaking work advocating for women in science, passed away in her sleep on Friday.
She was 71.
“Pained by the passing away of Rohini Godbole ji. She was a pioneering scientist and innovator, who also was a strong votary of more women in the world of science. Her academic efforts will continue to guide the coming generations. Condolences to her family and admirers. Om Shanti,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X.
A Padma Shri laureaute, Godbole was associated with the Centre for High Energy Physics at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru for over 25 years. Born in Pune in 1952, Godbole completed her BSc (Physics) from the University of Pune, securing the first rank. She went on to complete her MSc from the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay, in 1974, receiving the institute’s silver medal. Godbole completed her PhD from the Stony Brook University, New York, in 1979.
But she was best known for her work with CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research that hosts the world’s biggest atom-smasher, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Her work, along with European contributors, focussed on ways in which the collider could search for hitherto unseen fundamental particles such as the top quark and the Higgs boson.
“In addition to being a great scientist, she was a great leader, guide, colleague, and friend. She was a champion of women in science,” IISc said in a statement.
“Prof Godbole was a pioneer of particle physics in India. While she has ventured into various sub-branches of the field, the main focus of her research remained collider physics, in particular top and Higgs physics. She was a champion for future colliders, in particular the ILC and its variants,” the statement added.
She was a visiting professor at various institutes and universities around the world, including the CERN theory department where she was a scientific associate. After serving on the faculty of the University of Bombay, she joined IISc in November 1995. She retired as a full professor from the Institute in July 2018 but continued at CHEP.
In addition to her scientific work, Godbole’s legacy was burnished by her pioneering work advocating for women in science. She was among the authors of a report titled ‘INSA Report: Access of Indian Women to Careers in Science’, a first-of-its-kind document that dealt with issues that Indian women faced while pursuing science in college and later as a career.
In 2008, she co-edited Lilavati’s Daughters, a pathbreaking collection of nearly 100 biographical essays on women scientists of India.
“So much of my understanding of and empathy for the women in STEM movement in India came from conversations with Rohini Godbole. I was always amazed at how open and helpful she was despite her seniority. Won’t forget you, Rohini,” Nandita Jayaraj, co-author of Lab Hopping: A Journey to Find India’s Women In Science, posted on X.
She was a recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Padma Shri, France’s Ordre national du Mérite, and the Lifetime Achievement award given by the Karnataka science and technology department, among others.
Godbole was on numerous committees pushing for more women in science, and often wrote about the need for more policy and attitude changes. “There is a general attitude that even if women choose science, a good idea is for the woman to have a career in teaching that can combine different roles which are traditionally that of a woman...and life can then be comfortable for everyone concerned,” she told HT in 2021.
A lifetime advocate of scientific temperament and gender equality, Godbole was often impatient with the pace of the change. “What is really needed is a change in attitude, a recognition that women’s participation in science is important and science is a respectable career option for women. Just like being a doctor is very respectable for a woman. That change is not happening as fast as it should,” she had told HT.
Principal scientific adviser Ajay Kumar Sood paid rich tributes.
”Professor Godbole was a luminary in Indian science, whose groundbreaking contributions in particle physics under unwavering support to gender equity in STEM have left an indelible mark on our scientific landscape. Her legacy stands as a beacon of excellence and inclusion, ensuring that the future generations have more equitable path in science,” he said.
Godbole’s book on supersymmetry with Manuel Drees and Probir Roy is famous and recommended by many universities and particle physics schools. She was a champion and facilitator for women in science, playing a pivotal role in bringing their challenges to the forefront.
She had served as a member of the coordination and steering committee for CERN-India since 2015 and was also a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Union Cabinet in the 2007-2013 period.
She was a recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Padma Shri, France’s Ordre national du Mérite, and the Lifetime Achievement award given by the Karnataka science and technology department, among others.
“These books have inspired many young women. She was the founding Chair of the Women in Science panel of the Indian Academy of Sciences, and has put in place several programmes to increase the participation of women in science in India,” the institute said.
In a statement Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, said decribed her as a “great scientist, a great leader, guide, colleague, and friend.”
“She was a champion of women in science. She won many accolades and awards including the Padma Shri, Ordre national du Mérite from France, memberships of various academies, and DLitt and DSc degrees from several institutes/universities. She also served on various advisory committees to governments in India and abroad,” the institute said.
Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister, said, “Professor Godbole was a lumunary in Indian science, whose groundbreaking contributions in particle physics under unwavering support to gender equity in STEM have left an indebile mark on our scientific landscape. Her legacy stands as a beacon of excellence and inclusion, ensuring that the future generations have more equitable path in science.”
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