>Ser Amantio di Nicolao at 20:59, 24 April 2020

2020-04-24T20:59:35Z

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{{Infobox scientist
|name = Arvind Kumar
|image =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1943|10|15}}
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|nationality = [[India]]n
|field = [[Physics]], [[Education]]
|alma_mater =
|work_institution = [[Bombay University]], [[Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education]]
|doctoral_advisor =
|doctoral_students=
|known_for = Science Education
|prizes = [[Padma Shri]]; [[The World Academy of Sciences|TWAS]] regional award for Science Education
|religion =
|footnotes =
}}
'''Arvind Kumar''' (born 1943) is an Indian physicist and educationist. He was Centre Director, [[Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education]], [[Mumbai]], during the period 1994-2008.<ref name="hbcse">{{cite web|title=Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education: Arvind Kumar|url=http://www.hbcse.tifr.res.in/people/former-members/arvind-kumar|website=hbcse.tifr,res.in|publisher=HBCSE|accessdate=22 January 2018}}</ref> For his contributions in the field of science education, he was awarded the [[Padma Shri]], India's fourth highest civilian honour, in 2010.<ref name="thehindu">{{cite news|title=List of Padma awardees 2010|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/List-of-Padma-awardees-2010/article16839604.ece|accessdate=23 January 2018|work=The Hindu|agency=PTI|date=26 January 2010}}</ref> He is a Fellow of the [[National Academy of Sciences, India]], and is the recipient of several other honours and awards, including the [[The World Academy of Sciences|TWAS]] regional award for Science Education.

==Early life==
Arvind Kumar was born on 15 October 1943. He did his doctoral work in theoretical physics at the [[Tata Institute of Fundamental Research]], Mumbai, and completed his dissertation in 1969.

==Career==
After his Ph.D., Kumar did postdoctoral stints at [[CERN]], Geneva, and the [[University of London]]. Subsequently he returned to India and taught in the Department of Physics of [[Bombay University]] for about twelve years. During this period he was an active worker and research guide in theoretical high energy physics.

Kumar joined the [[Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education]] (HBCSE) as Professor in 1984. In 1994, after the retirement of V. G. Kulkarni, the founder-Director of HBCSE, Kumar was appointed Centre Director, and held the position until his superannuation in 2008. After his retirement he held the post of Raja Ramanna Fellow at HBCSE until October 2013.<ref name="hbcse" /> Subsequently he was associated with the Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences, Mumbai, as visiting faculty, and is currently a member of its Academic Board.<ref name="cbs">{{cite web|title=CBS Academic Board|url=http://cbs.ac.in/administration/academic-board|website=cbs.ac.in|publisher=Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences|accessdate=25 January 2018|ref=c}}</ref> He continues his association with HBCSE as visiting scientist.

Kumar has been active in the Olympiad movement in the sciences. During his tenure as Director, HBCSE became the national nodal centre for the Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Astronomy and Mathematics Olympiads. Kumar was also responsible for the launch of a new programme called the National Initiative for Undergraduate Science.
<ref name="hbcse" />

Kumar was closely involved in the process of evolving the [[National Curriculum Framework (NCF 2005)]] as a member of the Steering Committee and as the Chair of the National Focus Group on the Teaching of Science.<ref name="ncf2005">{{cite book|title=National Curriculum Framework 2005|publisher=NCERT|location=New Delhi|page=xiii|url=http://www.ncert.nic.in/rightside/links/pdf/framework/english/nf2005.pdf|accessdate=25 March 2018}}</ref><ref name="positionpaperscience">{{cite web|title=Position Paper: National Focus Group on Teaching of Science|url=http://www.ncert.nic.in/new_ncert/ncert/rightside/links/pdf/focus_group/science.pdf|website=ncert.nic.in|publisher=NCERT|accessdate=24 March 2018}}</ref>

When The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) instituted regional Awards for Science Education in 2008, Kumar was among the first recipients.<ref name="twas">{{cite web|title=TWAS Awards First Regional Prizes for Science Education|url=https://twas.org/article/twas-awards-first-regional-prizes-science-education|website=twas.org|publisher=The World Academy of Sciences|accessdate=23 January 2018}}</ref> In 2010, he was honoured with the [[Padma Shri]].

==Books written by Arvind Kumar==
* ''Chaos, Fractals and Self-Organization'', published by National Book Trust, published 2011; {{ISBN|978-81-237-1596-4}}.

==Awards and honours==
* Fellow, National Academy of Sciences, India (elected 2007) <ref name="nasi">{{cite web|title=The National Academy of Sciences, India - Fellows|url=http://www.nasi.org.in/fellows.asp?RsFilter=K|website=nasi.org.in|publisher=NASI|accessdate=22 January 2018}}</ref>
* The World Academy of Sciences Regional Prize for Science Education, 2008 <ref name="twas" />
* [[Padma Shri]] 2010 <ref name="thehindu" />

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.hbcse.tifr.res.in/people/former-members/arvind-kumar Home page at HBCSE]

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[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian physicists]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in literature & education]]

Arvind Kumar academic - Revision history

>Ser Amantio di Nicolao at 20:59, 24 April 2020