Title: Probing the Universe using Radio Waves : from the GMRT to the SKA

Speaker: Prof. Yashwant Gupta, NCRA -TIFR Pune

Abstract: The demonstration of how to transmit and receive radio waves, first made by Sir J.C. Bose in 1895, opened up a new window to the Universe. In this talk, we will trace the fascinating story of Radio Astronomy, it's linkages to the early days of radio technology, and it's present status as a frontline tool for probing the mysteries of the Cosmos, including the cutting edge technologies and signal processing concepts involved. Special emphasis will be on the growth and current status of work in this field in India, including science being done with frontline facilities like the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) -- a world- class facility operated by NCRA. We will also look at the future, including the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), which is a major international project to build the next generation radio astronomy observatory. India is a member of this collaboration and we will talk about the science and technology efforts in India related to the SKA.