LibbyAlba221 at 12:03, 8 February 2026

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{{Short description|Indian physicist (1932–2024)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Mahendra Singh Sodha
| image = Dr M S Sodha.jpg
| birth_date = {{birth date|1932|2|8|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[British Raj|India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|10|12|1932|2|8|df=y}}
| death_place =
| alma_mater =
| doctoral_advisor =
| known_for = [[Plasma Physics]] Theory
| footnotes =
| field = [[Plasma Physics]], [[Laser Physics]]
| work_institution =
| prizes = [[Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award]]<br>[[Padma Shri]]<br>Hari Om Prerit S. S. Bhatnagar Award<br>Pioneer in Renewable Energy Award<br>Dr. K. S. Rao Memorial National Award
}}

'''Mahendra Singh Sodha''' (8 February 1932 – 12 October 2024), popularly known as '''M. S. Sodha''', was an Indian physicist specialising in [[Plasma (physics)|plasma]], [[optics]] and energy and the [[Vice-chancellor]] of [[Lucknow University]], [[Devi Ahilya University]] and [[Barkatullah University]].<ref name="INSA">{{cite web | url=http://www.insaindia.org/detail.php?id=N78-0785 | title=INSA | publisher=Indian National Science Academy | date=2015 | access-date=11 February 2015 | archive-date=11 February 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211194822/http://www.insaindia.org/detail.php?id=N78-0785 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="SSB Prize">{{cite web | url=http://ssbprize.gov.in/Content/Detail.aspx?AID=67 | title=SSB Prize | publisher=SSB Prize | date=2015 | access-date=11 February 2015}}</ref> A 1974 winner of the highest Indian science award, the [[Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize]], Sodha was honoured by the [[Government of India]] again in 2003 with [[Padma Shri]], the fourth highest Indian civilian award.<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |title=Padma Awards |publisher=Padma Awards |date=2015 |access-date=6 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |archive-date=15 October 2015 }}</ref>

==Biography==
M. S. Sodha, born on 8 February 1932,<ref name="National Academy of Sciences, India">{{cite web|url=http://www.nasi.org.in/fellows.asp?RsFilter=S |title=National Academy of Sciences, India |publisher=National Academy of Sciences, India |date=2015 |access-date=11 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316043224/http://nasi.org.in/fellows.asp?RsFilter=S |archive-date=16 March 2016 }}</ref> secured his master's degree (MSc) in physics in 1951 from [[Allahabad University]] and started his career as a junior scientist by joining the Defence Science Laboratory, New Delhi, present day [[Laser Science and Technology Centre]], in 1953.<ref name="INSA" /> During the same period, he pursued his doctoral studies and obtained a doctoral degree (DPhil)<ref name="National Academy of Sciences, India" /> in 1955 from the same university.<ref name="INSA" /><ref name="Haneefsir">{{cite web | url=http://hanfeesir.blogspot.ae/2012/02/dr-m-s-sodha-prof-mahendra-singh-sodha.html | title=Haneefsir | publisher=Haneefsir | date=2015 | access-date=11 February 2015}}</ref> He continued at DSL till 1956 and moved to the [[University of British Columbia]], Canada as a post doctoral fellow to stay there till 1958,<ref name="INSA" /> when he shifted to USA, to work as senior scientist at the [[Armour Research Foundation]], Chicago, till 1961 and then as a senior scientist and chief of physics at the [[Republic Aviation Company]], New York.<ref name="INSA" /><ref name="Haneefsir" /> In 1964, he returned to India and joined the [[Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi]] as the professor where he rose in ranks to become the dean, head of the department and finally, a deputy director of the institution till his retirement in 1992.<ref name="INSA" /><ref name="Haneefsir" /> During this period, he also served as the vice chancellor of [[Devi Ahilya University]] from 1988 to 1992.<ref name="INSA" /><ref name="National Academy of Sciences, India" /><ref name="Haneefsir" /> In 1992, he was appointed the vice chancellor of [[Lucknow University]] for a three-year term from 1992 to 1995 and, later, at the [[Barkatullah University]] from 1998 to 2000.<ref name="INSA" /><ref name="National Academy of Sciences, India" /><ref name="Haneefsir" /> He has also served as a visiting professor at [[Drexel University]] and was a visiting professor and Ramanna Fellow of [[Lucknow University]].<ref name="INSA" /><ref name="Haneefsir" /> Sodha died on 12 October 2024, at the age of 92.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Physicist Mahendra Singh Sodha passes away at 92|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/legendary-physicist-and-former-lucknow-vc-mahendra-singh-sodha-passes-away/articleshow/114196806.cms |access-date=14 October 2024 |website=Times of India |language=en}}</ref>

==Legacy==
Sodha did extensive research in the physical science disciplines of plasma and energy.<ref name="SSB Prize" /> He is credited with pioneering researches on colloidal plasmas, optics and ''Akhamanov's formulation'' and he presented papers on ''quantitative theory of image formation in layered media''.<ref name="INSA" /> His book, ''[[Microwave]] Propagation in Ferrimagnetics''<ref name="Microwave Propagation in Ferrimagnetics">{{cite book | title=Microwave Propagation in Ferrimagnetics | publisher=Plenum Press |author1=M. S. Sodha |author2=N. Srivastava | year=1981 | isbn=978-0306407161}}</ref> is reported to be the first book on the subject. He has also published 13 books<ref name="Haneefsir" /> including ''Solar Crop Drying'',<ref name="Solar Crop Drying">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZDAhAQAAMAAJ | title=Solar Crop Drying | publisher=CRC Press | author=M. S. Sodha | year=1987 | pages=208 | isbn=9780849368837}}</ref> ''Solar Distillation''<ref name="Solar Distillation">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mq8FPYpG2csC&q=solar+distillation+pergamon+press&pg=PA108 | title=Solar Distillation | publisher=Oxford University Press | author=M. A. S. Malik | author2=G. N. Tiwari | author3=A. Kumar | author4=M. S. Sodha | year=1982| isbn=9788122402070 }}</ref> and ''Solar Passive Building: Science and Design''<ref name="Solar Passive Building: Science and Design">{{cite book | title=Solar Passive Building: Science and Design | publisher=Pergamon Press | author=M. S. Sodha|author2= N. K. Bansal | year=1986 | pages=500 | isbn=978-0080305509}}</ref> and had edited a book, ''Sodha Reviews of Renewable Energy Resources''.<ref name="Sodha Reviews of Renewable Energy Resources">{{cite book | title=Sodha Reviews of Renewable Energy Resources | publisher=John Wiley and Sons | author=M. S. Sodha | year=1984 | pages=564 | isbn=978-0852268445}}</ref> He has also published over 500 research papers<ref name="Haneefsir" /><ref name="Kinetics of Complex Plasmas">{{cite book | title=Kinetics of Complex Plasmas | author=Mahendra Singh Sodha | series=Springer Series on Atomic, Optical, and Plasma Physics | year=2014 | volume=18 | isbn=978-81-322-1819-7 | doi = 10.1007/978-81-322-1820-3| bibcode=2014kcp..book.....S |url = https://cds.cern.ch/record/1693366}}</ref><ref name="Electromagnetic Wave Propagation in Radially and Axially Nonuniform Media: Geometrical-Optics Approximation">{{cite journal | title=Electromagnetic Wave Propagation in Radially and Axially Nonuniform Media: Geometrical-Optics Approximation |author1=M. S. Sodha |author2=A. K. Ghatak |author3=P. S. Malik | journal=JOSA | year=1971 | volume=61 | issue=11 | pages=1492–94 | doi=10.1364/JOSA.61.001492}}</ref> in peer reviewed journals<ref name="PubFacts">{{cite web | url=http://www.pubfacts.com/author/Mahendra+Singh+Sodha | title=PubFacts Link | publisher=PubFacts | date=2015 | access-date=11 February 2015}}</ref><ref name="Springer Link">{{cite web | url=https://link.springer.com/search?facet-author=%22Mahendra+Singh+Sodha%22 | title=Springer Link - M. S. Sodha | publisher=Springer | date=2015 | access-date=11 February 2015}}</ref> and mentored several students for their doctoral studies.<ref name="INSA" /><ref name="Haneefsir" />

Sodha contributed to the establishment of divisions such as the ''Centre of Energy Studies and Research'', ''Opto-Electronics Group'' and ''Plasma Physics Group'' at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.<ref name="INSA" /> During his tenure as the vice chancellor of [[Lucknow University]] and [[Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya]], he was instrumental in introducing self-financing as an option for academic studies<ref name="INSA" /> and reportedly played a part in the establishment of Faculty of Engineering Science at Devi Ahalya Vishavidyalaya.<ref name="Haneefsir" /> He served as the president of ''Plasma Science Society of India'' and ''Optical Society of India''.<ref name="INSA" />

==Awards and recognitions==
Sodha was an elected fellow of the [[Indian National Science Academy]]<ref name="INSA" /> and the [[National Academy of Sciences, India]].<ref name="National Academy of Sciences, India" /><ref name="Haneefsir" /> He achieved the highest Indian science award, [[Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize]] for Physics in 1974.<ref name="INSA" /><ref name="SSB Prize" /><ref name="Haneefsir" /> Four years later, he received ''Hari Om Prerit'' S. S. Bhatnagar Award<ref name="Haneefsir" /> followed by the ''Pioneer in Renewable Energy Award'' from the [[World Renewable Energy Network]] and [[UNESCO]] in 2002.<ref name="INSA" /> The [[Government of India]] honoured him in 2003 with the civilian award of [[Padma Shri]].<ref name="Padma Awards" /> He received ''Dr. K. S. Rao Memorial National Award'' in 2004.<ref name="INSA" /> Sodha was felicitated by the [[Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi]] on 21 March 2011 at the ''Honour the Mentor'' program.<ref name="Honour the Mentor">{{cite web | url=http://goldenjubilee.iitd.ac.in/?q=content/honor-mentor-prof-ms-sodha | title=Honour the Mentor | publisher=IIT Delhi | date=2015 | access-date=11 February 2015}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Div col}}
* [[Plasma physics]]
* [[Optics]]
{{div col end}}
{{portal|India|Science}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZDAhAQAAMAAJ | title=Solar Crop Drying | publisher=CRC Press | author=M. S. Sodha | year=1987 | pages=208 | isbn=9780849368837}}
* {{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mq8FPYpG2csC&q=solar+distillation+pergamon+press&pg=PA108 | title=Solar Distillation | publisher=Oxford University Press | author=M. A. S. Malik | author2=G. N. Tiwari | author3=A. Kumar | author4=M. S. Sodha | year=1982| isbn=9788122402070 }}
* {{cite book | title=Solar Passive Building: Science and Design | publisher=Pergamon Press | author=M. S. Sodha |author2= N. K. Bansal | year=1986 | pages=500 | isbn=978-0080305509}}
* {{cite book | title=Sodha Reviews of Renewable Energy Resources | publisher=John Wiley and Sons | author=M. S. Sodha | year=1984 | pages=564 | isbn=978-0852268445}}
* {{cite book | title=Kinetics of Complex Plasmas | author=Mahendra Singh Sodha | series=Springer Series on Atomic, Optical, and Plasma Physics | year=2014 | volume=18 | isbn=978-81-322-1819-7 | doi = 10.1007/978-81-322-1820-3| bibcode=2014kcp..book.....S |url = https://cds.cern.ch/record/1693366}}
* {{cite journal | title=Electromagnetic Wave Propagation in Radially and Axially Nonuniform Media: Geometrical-Optics Approximation |author1=M. S. Sodha |author2=A. K. Ghatak |author3=P. S. Malik | journal=JOSA | year=1971 | volume=61 | issue=11 | pages=1492–94 | doi=10.1364/JOSA.61.001492}}
* {{cite book | title=Microwave Propagation in Ferrimagnetics | publisher=Plenum Press |author1=M. S. Sodha |author2=N. Srivastava | year=1981 | isbn=978-0306407161}}

==External links==
* {{cite web | url=http://www.pubfacts.com/author/Mahendra+Singh+Sodha | title=PubFacts Link | publisher=PubFacts | date=2015 | access-date=11 February 2015}}
* {{cite web | url=https://link.springer.com/search?facet-author=%22Mahendra+Singh+Sodha%22 | title=Springer Link - M. S. Sodha | publisher=Springer | date=2015 | access-date=11 February 2015}}

{{2000s Padma Shri Award Recipients in Science & Engineering}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sodha, Mahendra Singh}}
[[Category:1932 births]]
[[Category:2024 deaths]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in science & engineering]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in Physical Science]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian physicists]]
[[Category:Scientists from Lucknow]]
[[Category:University of Allahabad alumni]]
[[Category:Fellows of the American Physical Society]]

Mahendra Singh Sodha - Revision history

LibbyAlba221 at 12:03, 8 February 2026