About Dr. Tarun Kumar Pant

Dr. Tarun Kumar Pant completed his doctoral research at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad and received his Ph.D. in Physics from Gujarat University in 1998. Following this, he pursued his post-doctoral research at PRL and the University of Toronto, Canada, before joining the Space Physics Laboratory (SPL) in 2001 as Scientist/Engineer-D.

Dr. Tarun established the Optical Aeronomy Laboratory that housed the unique in-house developed Multiwavelength Dayglow Photometer in SPL. He also led efforts in the development of ionospheric tomograms over the Indian longitudinal sector, marking the first such accomplishment from India. Further, he has conducted sounding rocket-based investigations of equatorial ionosphere and thermosphere using in-house developed payloads, such as Electron Density and Wind Probe (ENWi) and Langmuir Probe (LP), leading to very significant results. He has also successfully led experiments onboard ISRO’s POEM4 platform. Dr Tarun’s most recent and notable involvement has been in the scientific experimentation onboard ISRO’s Chandrayaan lander and the very first measurement of plasma density and temperature near the surface of the Moon over its southern polar region.

Over the years, Dr. Pant has developed an expertise in optical and radio remote sensing of the Earth's upper atmosphere and ionosphere, utilising in-house developed experiments onboard ground-based, rocket-borne and satellite platforms. With over 150 publications in leading international journals, several recognised as Editor’s Choice, his research has yielded important insights into the energetics, dynamics and chemistry of the mesosphere– thermosphere–ionosphere system. He has mentored six doctoral and many post-doctoral researchers so far.

In recognition of his scientific contributions, Dr. Pant has received multiple honors, including the prestigious Hari Om Ashram Prerit Dr Vikram Sarabhai Award in 2014.