Modi condoles death of Professor Yash Pal

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed grief over the death of Professor Yash Pal saying that the country has lost a brilliant scientist and academician.

"Pained by Professor Yash Pal's demise. We have lost a brilliant scientist and academician who made a lasting contribution to Indian education," Modi said in a tweet.

Sharing his picture with the eminent scientist, Modi said: "Interacted with Professor Yash Pal extensively on many occasions including the National Children's Science Congress in Gujarat in 2009."

Yash Pal passed away at the age of 90 late on Monday night at his residence in Uttar Pradesh's Noida.

He was born in 1926 in Jhang, now in Pakistan, and was raised in Kaithal in what is now Haryana.

The Congress party also expressed grief over the demise of the eminent scientist and said, "We condole the passing away of Professor Yash Pal, Padma Vibhushan."

"Education should be based on real life experience, observation and happenings," it said.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi described his death as a great loss to the nation.

"A scientist and a passionate educator who understood the true value of learning, Professor Yash Pal's passing is a great loss for all of us," Gandhi said.

Yash Pal was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1976 for his contribution to science and space technology.

In October 2011, he was awarded the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for excellence in public administration, academics and management.

Yash Pal was known for his contribution to the study of cosmic rays, he had graduated with a master's degree in Physics from Panjab University in 1949.

He gained a PhD degree in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1958.