<p>Renowned astrophysicist SM Chitre passed away in Mumbai on Monday.</p>.<p>The stalwart of the Indian astronomy community, Prof Chitre, was 84.</p>.<p>He was admitted to Kokilaben Ambani Hospital in Mumbai, where he passed away.</p>.<p>Prof Chitre's scientific research is focused on solar physics, astrophysics and gravitational lensing.</p>.<p>He has done extensive research on the Sun's magnetic activity cycle, the solar dynamo theory, and the role of neutrals in the solar atmosphere.</p>.<p>Born on May 7, 1936, Shashikumar Madhusudan Chitre was a stalwart of Indian astronomy community and particularly solar physics.</p>.<p>A recipient of Padma Bhushan, he retired as a senior professor from TIFR in Mumbai in 2001.</p>.<p>He was the driving force behind the establishment of UM-DAE CEBS in the Kalina campus of Mumbai University.</p>.<p>He served on boards of Nehru Centre trust as well as JN Tata trust for a number of years.</p>.<p>He was also passionate about science education and outreach and gave a large number of lectures in schools and colleges. Incidentally, he was the voice behind the first-ever show in Mumbai's iconic Nehru Planetarium.</p>.<p>He was the former president of Astronomical Society of India and was a member of multiple committees in recent decades which shaped India's science policy.</p>
<p>Renowned astrophysicist SM Chitre passed away in Mumbai on Monday.</p>.<p>The stalwart of the Indian astronomy community, Prof Chitre, was 84.</p>.<p>He was admitted to Kokilaben Ambani Hospital in Mumbai, where he passed away.</p>.<p>Prof Chitre's scientific research is focused on solar physics, astrophysics and gravitational lensing.</p>.<p>He has done extensive research on the Sun's magnetic activity cycle, the solar dynamo theory, and the role of neutrals in the solar atmosphere.</p>.<p>Born on May 7, 1936, Shashikumar Madhusudan Chitre was a stalwart of Indian astronomy community and particularly solar physics.</p>.<p>A recipient of Padma Bhushan, he retired as a senior professor from TIFR in Mumbai in 2001.</p>.<p>He was the driving force behind the establishment of UM-DAE CEBS in the Kalina campus of Mumbai University.</p>.<p>He served on boards of Nehru Centre trust as well as JN Tata trust for a number of years.</p>.<p>He was also passionate about science education and outreach and gave a large number of lectures in schools and colleges. Incidentally, he was the voice behind the first-ever show in Mumbai's iconic Nehru Planetarium.</p>.<p>He was the former president of Astronomical Society of India and was a member of multiple committees in recent decades which shaped India's science policy.</p>