N Rathnasree, the in-charge of Nehru planetarium for 20 years, dies due to Covid-19

New Delhi: Dr. N Rathnasree, Director of the Nehru Planetarium and Science Museum in Delhi died of COVID-19 after a week in ICU. She is survived by her husband, Patrick Das Gupta, son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter.

Set to retire from the Nehru Planetarium at the Teen Murti complex in November 2021, She was one of the most active science communicators in the country and was driven to help disseminate Astronomy to the public. She was an inspiration to countless people to take up Astronomy and Science Communication.

We are deeply saddened to learn about the tragic demise of Dr. N Rathnasree, Director of the Nehru Planetarium and Science Museum in Delhi.
We are sharing some of the memories of her at IUCAA. pic.twitter.com/Um80JWdEVf

— IUCAA Scipop (@IUCAAScipop) May 9, 2021

“An avid astronomy communicator and accomplished pulsar astronomer, she was pivotal in most astronomy outreach projects of ASI in the last two decades. When ASI formally set up its Public Outreach and Education Committee (POEC) in 2014, Rathnasree was the unanimous choice to be its first chair and she has been a part of the POEC ever since,” the body said in its statement.

Society also remembered Ratnasree’s notable contributions during her career. “Till just a fortnight ago, she was involved in organising ‘Astro Adda’ a fortnightly online discussion session with the students. In early May, she caught the infection, which quickly overwhelmed her,” the statement reads.

Extremely saddened to learn about the unfortunate demise of Dr N. Rathnasree, Director of Nehru Planetarium under @_NMML_ passed away on sunday. Heartfelt condolences to the family & prayers for the departed soul & God to provide strength to the bereaved family. pic.twitter.com/rn9CaoDFxQ

— Ministry of Culture (@MinOfCultureGoI) May 11, 2021

Rathnasree joined the planetarium as senior planetarium educator in 1996 after a Ph.D. in astrophysics from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) under the guidance of Alak K. Ray, and two post-doctoral fellowships – with Joanna Rankin at the University of Vermont, US (1992-1994) and at Raman Research Institute in Bengaluru (1994-1996). She became the planetarium director in 1999.