Departures of note

M. P. Parameswaran (18 January 1935 – 11 August 2026) was an Indian nuclear engineer who became a leading figure in the country's science popularisation movement. After earning a PhD in nuclear engineering in Moscow, he worked at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre before resigning in 1975 to join the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad, a grassroots science communication network. Under his leadership the organization grew into a nationwide movement that promoted scientific literacy and environmental awareness.

Parameswaran authored more than 30 popular‑science books in Malayalam and English, covering topics from atomic physics to ecology, and wrote over 300 articles for various periodicals. He also played a key role in organising large‑scale science outreach events such as the Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha and contributed to the establishment of the All India People's Science Network. His activism extended into politics; he was a long‑time member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) before being expelled in 2004 for publishing the ideological work "Fourth World," which proposed a decentralized, consumer‑free economic model.

In addition to his scientific work, Parameswaran dabbled in the arts, appearing in a Malayalam film about communist leader A. K. Gopalan. He received several national awards for his contributions to science education and literacy, and was honoured with the Kerala Sree Award in 2022. His death on 11 August 2026 marked the end of a multifaceted career that bridged engineering, activism, literature, and left‑wing politics.