Author: Dr. Rajmal Jain

Prof. Rajmal Jain, born on 14 January 1952 (Makar Sakranti), is an internationally acclaimed space scientist of Physical Research Laboratory, Dept. of Space, who has made a fundamental contribution to the development of Solar and Planetary Physics and related instrumentation in India. Dr. Jain is one of the founders of the Udaipur Solar Observatory (USO) and has been a key contributor to its growth. Prof. Jain is the Project Director of the “Solar X-ray Spectrometer (SOXS)” mission, the first space-borne solar astronomy experiment of India. He was also involved in other missions planned for Chandrayaan, Mars, and Aditya. He made several instruments for space experiments.

On the other side, he has made a significant contribution to the Jainism. Particularly, he has contributed scientific aspects of Jain philosophy and canonical texts. In addition, he is a good educationist/ advisor and counselor.

Education and Research:

Prof. Jain undertook school education in Govt. Schools of Sagwara, Dist. Dungarpur, Rajasthan. Later he did M. Sc. (Physics) with first-class from the University of Udaipur and did his Ph. D at Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in 1983. He has published more than 120 research papers in international peer-reviewed journals. He delivered more than 230 popular and public lectures in several national and international institutes, universities, colleges, and schools. He guided 6 Ph.D. students and currently 5 students are working for a Ph.D. under his supervision. His research work is highly cited and the international research citation h-index is >95.

On one hand, his research related to the Sun-Earth relationship and the planetary atmosphere is widely known, similarly, on the other hand, his in-depth research related to historical, archaeological, anthropological, and scientific perspectives of Jainism is now highly recognized and becoming popular over the globe. He is a key contributor to discovering Shri Chandraprabhu Temple in the Yeha sub-tropical region of Ethiopia. He is very actively involved in Ahimsa Mission to resolve global conflicts and challenges.

Achievements:

Prof. Rajmal Jain is the First Asian to receive International Young Astronomer Award from NOAO/USA in 1984. He has been honored with Vigyan Purskar in 1994 by Govt. of Rajasthan and the SAARC Countries Resource Person Award in 1996 by the Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India. His first foreign visit in 1981 was to the erstwhile USSR as a Prime Minister Fellow, to attend an International Conference, sponsored by the then Prime Minister of India Late Mrs. Indira Gandhi.

Prof. Rajmal Jain has visited about 100 countries of the world and represented India at various platforms. Earlier, in 1996, Acharya Bhagwan Shri Kanaknandi Ji Gurudev felicitated him at the National level with “Saraswati Putra” at Sagwara Sammelan, and, similarly, in 2010, All India Jain Intellectuals Society honored him with “Jain Ratna” and was felicitated by Jain Saint Munishree Tarun Sagar Ji Gurudev in Bhopal. In 2012 Prof. Jain was elected as “Fellow” of  Gujarat Science Academy”. In 2013 Dr. Jain received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Govt. of Madhya Pradesh for outstanding research, High-tech instrumentation development, and education reform in rural India.

Prof. Rajmal Jain received a highly prestigious “Fellowship” from the Royal Astronomical Society, the UK in 2014. This award came to him for the discovery of iron and nickel in the outer atmosphere of the Sun known as the corona.

Prof. Rajmal Jain superannuated in 2013 from PRL/ DoS and then joined as Dean, Research Cell and Dean of Faculty of Sciences, Kadi Sarva Vishwavidyalaya (KSV University), Gandhinagar from where he resigned in October 2017 to visit GSFC/NASA and NSO/ AURA, the USA in 2018. Prof. Jain had the blessings of former president Dr. Abdul Kalam and has been in good records of him. More recently, in January-February 2020, Prof. Jain visited Peru, Guatemala, and Mexico for science and cultural exchange sponsored by ICCR, ministry of external affairs, Govt. of India.

Prof. Rajmal Jain has been serving as a social reformer, educationist/ academician/ advisor since 2005 to motivate students for higher and quality education. He has been guiding thousands of students every year through lectures/ counseling/ interaction programs being organized by societies, institutes, and universities, etc.