City Meetup - Gravitational-Wave Astronomy: From Einstein’s Prediction to the Latest Discoveries by Prof. K. G. Arun

We will have our next city meetup on Sun, 22 Nov, 2026, 3:30 pm→Sun, 22 Nov, 2026, 6:30 pm. We are doing this event in collaboration with Krea University. The event will take place in Alwarpet and the exact details will be shared with you once you make the payment.

Prof. K. G. Arun will be delivering a talk titled Gravitational-Wave Astronomy: From Einstein’s Prediction to the Latest Discoveries.

The cost to attend the event will be Rs 250 per adult and it’ll be free for kids below 12 years of age.

Talk Description

“I will trace the evolution of gravitational-wave astronomy, beginning with a brief introduction to Einstein’s general theory of relativity and the nature of gravitational waves. I will then discuss the remarkable scientific and technological challenges involved in detecting these waves, culminating in their first direct detection in 2015, nearly a century after Einstein’s prediction. I will highlight some of the major discoveries made through gravitational-wave observations over the past decade and discuss the crucial role that the LIGO-India observatory is expected to play in shaping the future of this rapidly evolving field. The talk is intended for a general audience with an interest in physics and astronomy.”

About the Speaker

Prof. K. G. Arun is a Professor of Physics at the Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI) and a leading researcher in gravitational-wave astronomy. His research focuses on understanding black holes and neutron stars, testing Einstein’s theory of general relativity, and exploring the astrophysical implications of gravitational-wave discoveries. He is a member of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration and the LISA Consortium, and serves as a Co-Principal Investigator of the LIGO-India Scientific Collaboration. As a member of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, he shared the 2016 Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics for the first direct detection of gravitational waves. He is also a recipient of the prestigious Swarnajayanti Fellowship from the Government of India and the N. R. Sen Young Researcher Award. He is actively involved in advancing gravitational-wave astronomy in India and developing the scientific case for future gravitational-wave observatories.