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Welcome Message from HOD
I am delighted that I.I.T. Kanpur has recently established the department of Space, Planetary & Astronomical Sciences & Engineering. Given the rapid pace of development in this field and the fascination it holds for students, I personally feel that this is a welcome step. India is currently pushing for a very ambitious space program and has established several major astronomical observatories. It is also participating in several international astronomical mega-science projects. We aim to create a stimulating environment in the department so that students can participate and effectively contribute to such research and development programs.
Prof. Amitesh Omar
Head, Department of Space, Planetary & Astronomical Sciences & Engineering
IIT Kanpur
Kanpur-208016
Email: head_spase@iitk.ac.in , aomar@iitk.ac.in
- Evidence of a Hardening in the Cosmic Ray Proton Spectrum at around 166 TeV Observed by the GRAPES-3 Experiment, Phys. Rev. Lett., F. Varsi et al. (GRAPES-3 collaboration), 2024, 132, 051002
- Probing atmospheric effects using GRAPES-3 plastic scintillator detectors, European Physical Journal C, M. Zuberi et al. (GRAPES-3 collaboration), 2024, 84, 255
- A study of dipolar signal in distant Quasars with various observables, European Physical Journal C, R. Kothari, M. Panwar, G. Singh, P. Tiwari and P. Jain, 2024, 84, 75
- Small-scale Cosmic-Ray Anisotropy Observed by the GRAPES-3 Experiment at TeV Energies, Astrophysical Journal, M. Chakraborty et. al. (GRAPES-3 collaboration), 2024, 961, 87
- Indentation of geometrically exact adhesive beams. Suryanarayanan, K., T. Bhuvana, I. Sharma, and S. L. Das 2023. Int. J. Solids Struct. 279, 112348:1-19.
- Equilibria of liquid drops on pre-stretched, nonlinear elastic membranes through a variational approach. Nair, V. and I. Sharma 2023. Phys. Fluids. 35, 047111:1-14.
- Equilibrium shapes of liquid drops on pre-stretched, nonlinear elastic membranes. Nair, V., I. Sharma, and V. Shankar 2023. J. Fluid Mech.. 961, A28:1-27.
- Indentation of geometrically exact beams. Suryanarayanan, K., I. Sharma, and S. L. Das 2022 Int. J. Struct. Solids 254, 111905.
- Correlations between QPO frequencies and spectral parameters of GRS 1915+105 using AstroSat observations,
Ruchika Dhaka, Ranjeev Misra, J.S. Yadav, Pankaj Jain, MNRAS, 524 (2023) 2, 2721-2732 - The comptonizing medium of the black hole X-ray binary MAXI J1535−571 through type-C quasi-periodic oscillations,
Rawat et al, MNRAS, 520 (2023) 1, 113-128 - Probing cosmology beyond LCDM using SKA,
Shamik Ghosh, Pankaj Jain, Rahul Kothari, Mohit Panwar, Gurmeet Singh, Prabhakar Tiwari
J.Astrophys.Astron. 44 (2023) 1, 22 - A toy model for low-energy nuclear fusion, Kaanapuli Ramkumar, Harishyam Kumar, Pankaj Jain
Pramana 97 (2023) 3, 109 - Validating the improved angular resolution of the GRAPES-3 air shower array by observing the Moon shadow in cosmic rays,
D. Pattanaik et al (GRAPES-3 collaboration), Phys.Rev.D 106 (2022) 2, 022009 - Dipole anisotropy in gravitational wave source distribution, Gopal Kashyap, Naveen K. Singh, Khun Sang Phukon, Sarah Caudill, Pankaj Jain,
JCAP 06 (2023) 042 - Image plane detection of FRB121102 with the MeerKAT radio telescope
J C Andrianjafy, N Heeralall-Issur, A A Deshpande, et al MNRAS 518, 3462 (2023) - A minimal space interferometer configuration for imaging at low radio frequencies
Jaini, A., Deshpande, A. A., and Bitragunta, S. 2021, PASA, 38, e040. - A Comparison of Multi-Phase Magnetic Field Tracers in a High-Galactic Latitude Region of the Filamentary Interstellar Medium
Campbell, J. L., SE Clark, S. E., Gaensler, B. M., Marchal, A., Van Eck, C. L., Deshpande, A. A., George, S. J., Gibson, S. J., Ricci, R., Stil, J. M., Taylor, A. R. 2022, ApJ, 927, 49. - Time-resolved spectroscopy on the heartbeat state of GRS 1915+105 using AstroSat, D. Rawat, R. Misra, P. Jain and J.S. Yadav. Published in: Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc. 511 (2022) 2
- Superhorizon Perturbations: A Possible Explanation of the Hubble–Lemaître Tension and the Large-scale Anisotropy of the Universe, P. Tiwari, R. Kothari and P. Jain, Astrophys. J. Lett. 924 (2022) 2, L36
- Explaining excess dipole in NVSS data using superhorizon perturbation, K. K. Das, K. Sankharva, P. Jain, JCAP 07 (2021) 035
- Testing evolution of LFQPOs with mass accretion rate in GRS 1915+105 with Insight-HXMT, H. Liu, L. Ji, C. Bambi, P. Jain, R. Misra et al., Astrophys. J. 909 (2021) 1, 63
- General Treatment of Reflection of Spherical Electromagnetic Waves from a Spherical Surface and its Implications for the ANITA Anomalous Polarity Events, P. Dasgupta and P. Jain, Astroparticle Physics 128 (2021) 102530
- Granular flow on a rotating and gravitating elliptical body 2021, K Gaurav, D Banik, I Sharma, P Dutt, Journal of Fluid Mechanics 916, A40:1-40, 2019.
- Structural integrity of rubble asteroidal satellites, I Sharma, Icarus 319, 770-784
- Rings of non-spherical, axisymmetric bodies, A Gupta, S Nadkarni-Ghosh, I Sharma, Icarus 299, 97-116, 2018.
We are looking for faculty and post-doctoral fellows in ALL areas of Space Sciences, Instrumentation & Engineering, Planetary science & Technology, and Astronomy.
If you are interested, please apply through the link: https://www.iitk.ac.in/dofa/rolling-advertisement
Please contact the Head, Prof. Amitesh Omar at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further details.
Amitesh Omar, Head of the department
Ph.D., Raman Research Institute, Bangalore
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Research Interests: Galaxy astrophysics, Radio & Optical astronomy instrumentation
Ishan Sharma
Ph.D., Cornell University (2004)
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0512-259-6152
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Research Interests: Planetary science , Granular Mechanics , Contact Mechanics , Applied Mechanics
Kunal P. Mooley
Ph.D., Caltech, NRAO (2015)
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Research Interests: "Astrophysical transients, jets, compact objects, Galactic Center, Life in the Universe"
Mohit Bhardwaj
Ph.D., McGill University (2023)
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+91-512-259-2641
Room 202-c, Western Extension Lab
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Research Interests: Fast Radio Bursts, Compact Objects, Astrophysical Transients, Radio Astronomy Instrumentation, Astrostatistics
Mugundhan V.
Ph.D., Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA)
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Room 717, ESB-2 Building
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Research Interests: Radio Astronomy, Interferometry, Astronomical Instrumentation and Space Weather
Pankaj Jain
Ph.D., Syracuse University (1998)
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0512-259-7663 (O)
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Research Interests: Cosmology, Astrophysics, Cosmic Rays, X-ray Astronomy, Nuclear Fusion at low energies
Prashant Pathak
Ph.D., SOKENDAI University
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Research Interests: Characterization of Exoplanets: direct imaging, transmission spectroscopy. *Adaptive optics and wavefront control techniques. *Ground and space-based optical and infrared instrumentation.
Rohit Sharma
Ph.D., National Center for Radio Astrophysics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Pune, India
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Research Interests: Solar Physics, Space Weather, Radio Astronomy, Plasma Physics, Radio Wave Propagation, Data Science, Imaging Algorithms
Sharvari Nadkarni Ghosh
Ph.D., Cornell University
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Research Interests: Cosmology, non-linear large scale structure, non-linear dynamics.
Soumyabrata Chakrabarty, Professor of Practice
Ph.D., Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
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0512-679-2528
ESB-II, Room No. 726 | Homepage
Research Interests: Space Weather interaction of Spacecrafts, Computational Electromagnetics, Design and development of Antennas for Radio Telescopes and Microwave Sensors
Visiting Faculty
Ajit Kembhavi, Distiniguished visiting professor
Retd. IUCAA India
Research Interests: gravitation theory, extragalactic astronomy and astronomical database management
Arun Misra, Distinguished visiting professor
McGill University, Canada
Research Interests: Satellite dynamics and control, space robotics, and dynamics of aerospace structures
Avinash Deshpande, Distinguished visiting professor
Retd. Raman Research Institute (RRI), India
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Research Interests: Neutron stars, Pulsars, Radio Transients, The Galaxy & Interstellar Medium, Epoch of Reionization, Instrumentation, Radio Astronomy Techniques, Noise & Statistics.
Hiroaki Katsuragi, Distinguished visiting professor
Osaka University, Japan
Research Interests: Granular Matter, soft impact dynamics, planetary cratering
J. S. Yadav, Visiting professor
Retd. TIFR Bombay
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Research Interests: X-ray binaries, Accretion disk and jet connection, X-ray flares in microquasars, HFQPOs, Thermonuclear bursts and instrumentation.
Renu Malhotra, Distinguished visiting professor
University of Arizona, U.S.A
Research Interests: Planetary Science, Orbital Dynamics
Yamini Jangir, Visiting Assistant Professor
Ph.D., University of Southern California
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Research Interests: Astrobiology, Microbe-Mineral Interaction, Microbial Ecology
Abhay Gupta
PhD, University of British Columbia (2009)
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Research Interests: Space Policy & Regulations, Space Economy, Industrial AI, Commercialization & Impact Pathways
Inspire Faculty
Sandeep Kumar Kataria, DST Inspire Faculty
Ph.D., Indian Institute of Science and Indian Institute of Astrophysics (JAP)
skkataria[at]iitk.ac.in
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Research Interests: Galactic and Extragalactic Astrophysics (Theory, Idealised/Cosmological Simulations & Observations)
Current Faculty Specializations:
- Space and Astronomical Instrumentation
- Optical, Infrared, Radio and X-ray Astronomy
- Planetary science, Granular Mechanics , Contact Mechanics
- Planetary Remote Sensing Geology, Lunar Science, Mineral Mapping, Mineral Spectroscopy, Impact cratering
- Detection and characterization of exoplanets: direct imaging, transit and spectroscopy
- Galactic Astrophysics, Galaxy formation and evolution, interstellar medium, astrophysical fluid dynamics, Galactic feedback
- Compact objects, Neutron stars, pulsars, X-ray binaries, accretion disks, jets
- Astrophysical transients, fast radio bursts
- Cosmology, large scale structure of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization
- Adaptive optics and wavefront control techniques
- Solar Physics
- Cosmic rays
- Multi-messenger Astronomy
- Astrobiology
Head: Amitesh Omar
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
+91-512-259-7663
E.S.B - 2 Building , 6th floor , IIT Kanpur, 208016
For queries related to post-graduate academics:
Kunal P. Mooley
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The department offers the following academic programs:
- M.Tech. in Space Science and Engineering
- Ph.D. in Space Science & Engineering
- Minor in Space Science (for IIT UG Students)