Meet Kerala astronomer Aswin Sekhar, whose name shines bright on an asteroid

Growing up in Cherpulassery, a small town in Palakkad, Kerala, in the ‘90s, Aswin Sekhar had access to pristine night skies. Light pollution was less. So, staring at the vast expanse of stars overhead, twinkling like precious gems, left an indelible mark on young Aswin’s impressionable mind. Back then, he did not know a celestial object would bear his name in the future.

In June, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) named an asteroid after Aswin, 38, to honour his contribution to the field of meteors in meteoroid stream dynamics. The asteroid, discovered in 2000 by the Lowell Observatory Near-Earth-Object Search programme (funded by NASA), will be called (33928) Aswinsekhar = 2000 LJ27.

Sekhar, raised in a family where most members wanted to be doctors, attributed his passion for astronomy to two childhood mentors who sparked his interest― Krishna Warrier, former additional director of the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, Thiruvananthapuram, and Shashi Warrier, a novelist. “They used to encourage me to visit the planetarium and science museum, and observe celestial phenomena such as meteor showers, comet visits and eclipses,” he said.

Sci-fi movies also helped grow the curiosity. “One movie that comes to mind is Independence Day, which portrayed an alien invasion,” he said. “It was both scary and fascinating at the same time. I believe I was in eighth grade when I watched it, and it made me contemplate the existence of aliens and related topics. Although Hollywood often depicts exaggerated elements, it also sparked thoughtful ideas.”

The young astronomer is also passionate about his science outreach programmes in India. “I undertake various projects to inspire children, particularly those from rural and tribal areas,” he said. “I collaborate with numerous individuals within the government to contribute to science education and science outreach initiatives. I also strive to create opportunities for young individuals to pursue research outside India.”

Indeed, it is these very outreach programmes that have the potential to create the next Sekhars, Venkataramanis, Vermas and Parekhs.