Priyamvada Natarajan: Meet the Indian woman on TIME’s 2024 list of 100 most influential people

(April 30, 2024) Enough has already been said and written about the Big Bang theory, and how from a single point, the universe expanded through the formation of stars and galaxies to the size that it is now. But for years, it’s the science of black holes that has kept scientists, astronomers, and even physicists intrigued. One such name is Priyamvada Natarajan, who recently found her name on TIME Magazine’s 2024 list of 100 most influential people for her research on the “invisible universe” – the black hole and its formation. The recognition left her stumped, so much so that she thought that it was spam mail.

“When I heard from them (TIME Magazine), I thought something was wrong. Although I wrote to them saying that ‘I am super grateful and really stunned’ but thought is this for real,” she said in an interview, as she found herself featured alongside Microsoft CEO Satya Nthadella, World Bank President Ajay Banga, actor Alia Bhatt and Olympian wrestler Sakshi Malik.

Thrilled to be at the #TIME100 Summit – wow! It finally feels real – how wonderful to be in the incredible company of brilliant thoughtful empathetic people impacting the world in their own unique way – so honored and humbled 🙏 @TIME pic.twitter.com/aPA4oHmfT4

— Priyamvada Natarajan (@SheerPriya) April 24, 2024

Her interest in stars and the universe

Born in Tamil Nadu and raised in Delhi, Priyamvada was obsessed with maps while growing up. She would devour every atlas that she could lay her hand on, and she credits her family for her curiosity to learn. “I grew up in a house full of books and got enormous support and encouragement from my parents,” she revealed.

Priyamvada Natarajan

Interested in the stars and the universe since her school days, she started doing research at the Nehru Planetarium in Delhi. But in the late 80s with only limited options for research, she left for the US to pursue her undergrad degree in physics and mathematics from MIT. She later enrolled in theoretical astrophysics at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, receiving a Ph.D degree in 1998, where she was the first woman in Astrophysics to be elected a Fellow at Trinity College.

Working on invisible universe

Over the years, she did extensive work in the field of gravitational lensing, clusters of galaxies, and binary black holes. Currently a professor of Astronomy and Physics at Yale University, she has been interested in the components of the universe that are invisible. “You can’t actually see them and study them like stars and galaxies that have visible light. These entities are dark matter, dark energy, and black holes. So, you infer their presence indirectly from their gravitational effects that they actually exert around their vicinity,” she said.

In November 2023, she along with her colleagues at Yale identified the oldest known X-ray quasar (highly luminous supermassive black hole). For years, scientists have been mulling over the formation of super-big black holes in the middle of most galaxies. More than a decade ago, she had reasoned that they started when clouds of gas collapsed and made huge black hole “seeds.” These seeds then grew over billions of years inside their galaxies. But with the identification of the oldest quasar, her theory was proven true. “It’s thrilling to be able to reveal the presence of a supermassive black hole, in place at the center of a galaxy a mere 450 million years after the Big Bang,” she said.

Thrilled and deeply satisfied at this awesome discovery of UHZ1 that provides compelling evidence for the existence of direct collapse black holes – nature has more than one way to make the first seed black holeshttps://t.co/O3oCCne4oX

— Priyamvada Natarajan (@SheerPriya) March 12, 2024

Praising her work, American astrophysicist Shep Doeleman wrote in the TIME article, “Priya has a knack for pursuing the most creative research, and as a fellow astronomer, I am always inspired by her work. Her latest result takes us one step closer to understanding our cosmic beginnings.”

Getting recognition for her work

Priyamvada, who has earned various honours including a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Physical Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, is the author of Mapping the Heavens: The Radical Scientific Ideas That Reveal the Cosmos (2016).

Priyamvada Natarajan

On being recognised as one of the 100 influential people, Priyamvada said it’s an honour and a privilege. “It sends a message that people working in science can be seen as influential, and that is very gratifying.”

Priyamvada Natarajan’s groundbreaking work in the field of black hole formation has not only deepened our understanding of the cosmos but has also earned her a well-deserved spot on TIME’s list of the 100 most influential people. Her innovative ideas and contributions have propelled her to the forefront of astronomy, making her a household name among scientists and enthusiasts alike. As we continue to unravel the mysteries of the universe, Natarajan’s work serves as a beacon of inspiration and discovery, shaping the future of astrophysics for generations to come.

Follow Priyamvada Natarajan on X

Also Read: The ‘write’ way: Soundarya Balasubramani demystifies US immigration for Indians in her new book