K S Krishnan Papers: DCV Mallik Session 01, 2025-04-29

In this interview, Mallik shares about his own early life and how he came to closely know KS Krishnan through his lasting friendship with his grandson, Vijay Thiruvady. He describes growing up on the campus of College of Engineering and Technology in Jadavpur University, in a deeply intellectual environment among many scholars who were his father’s acquaintances and colleagues. He recollects meeting Joseph Needham, SN Bose, and KS Krishnan in his pre-teen years.

He speaks of how he developed an interest in stars as a child and eventually pursued higher education in physics, specialising in nuclear physics and gaseous nebulae. He recollects memories from his school time, college, and his Master’s and shares how he decided to apply for a PhD abroad. He elaborates on navigating the political upheaval as a student in both Kolkata in the 1960s and in the United States in the 1970s. Following his doctorate, he joined the Indian Institute of Astrophysics in Bangalore in 1974.

Soon after returning to India, he shares how he first met Vijay Thiruvady and how their relationship grew over time. He shares about Vijay Thiruvady’s great attachment with his grandfather, KS Krishnan, and his concern for the preservation of his papers. He speaks of his own interest in the histories of science and how it conflated with their combined desire to write about KS Krishnan and his life. He describes the process of writing the biography along with Sabyasachi Chatterjee and the events leading up to its publication. He closes by sharing how they chose to archive the papers at the Archives at NCBS. (00:01:05) Early childhood of the speaker in Jadavpur, Kolkata in the 1950s and growing up around famous scholars on the campus of College of Engineering and Technology.

(00:06:03) His first meeting with KS Krishnan when he was being awarded an honorary doctorate.

(00:09:10) Growing up in a deeply intellectual environment and the first inkling of his career choice in astrophysics.

(00:15:33) Recounting his disappointment with science education in school, appreciating his college education and choosing nuclear physics during his bachelor’s and master’s.

(00:22:09) Remembering the political upheaval in Kolkata in the late 1960s, how it affected his studies, his own political inclination and overall withdrawal from participation.

(00:28:47) His decision to pursue a PhD in the US, choosing to study astronomy at the University of Wisconsin, learning to use telescopes and doing public outreach as a graduate student.

(00:38:35) Political upheaval in the United States in the 1970s due to withdrawal from the Vietnam war, bombing of the Physics department in his university, and navigating its aftermath as a student.

(00:46:19) His specialisation in gaseous nebulae during his PhD, completing his degree and returning to India and joining the Indian Institute of Astrophysics in Bangalore.

(00:54:52) His connection with Bangalore and his lasting friendship with Vijay Thiruvady.

[00:56:57 - 00:58:07 – Restricted access. Contact archives@ncbs.res.in] [00:58:56 - 01:00:27 – Restricted access. Contact archives@ncbs.res.in]

(01:02:37) The origin of his foray into the histories of science, and his father’s influence on his interest in history.

(01:05:20) Vijay Thiruvady’s attachment with his grandfather, his worry around his papers and works, the disappearance of KS Krishnan’s diary and its recovery, and sharing the papers with the speaker.

(01:18:14) Discovering several connections with KS Krishnan through his papers and writing a biography of KS Krishnan with Sabyasachi Chatterjee.

(01:24:18) Writing a seminal paper on Krishnan’s diary in 1999, describing the events leading up to the publishing of the biography of KS Krishnan and how the book was received by the audience.

[01:28:33 - 01:28:53 – Restricted access. Contact archives@ncbs.res.in]

(01:34:44) Meeting Indira Chowdhury for the first time, Vijay and himself looking for a place to house KS Krishnan’s papers and finalising the Archives at NCBS.

[Archivist’s notes and errata for audio file:


Mallik refers in the interview to S Chandrashekar as ‘Chandra’. Interviewer, Venkat Srinivasan, erroneously refers to the ‘Center for Backyard Astrophysics’, as the ‘Center for Backyard Astronomy’


In the audio interview, Mallik describes his father’s (Prabir Chandra Vasumallik) ideological leanings and makes an incorrect attribution regarding his father’s association with the Communist Party of India.


In the audio interview, Mallik describes his father’s (Prabir Chandra Vasumallik) meeting with Joseph Needham. Upon review, Mallik and the Archives at NCBS cannot verify any specific incident of their meeting.]