MP Parameswaran Passes Away at 92

MP Parameswaran, a distinguished scientist and social activist, passed away at his home in Thrissur, Kerala, on Tuesday at the age of 92. Throughout his life, he embodied the principles of intellectual honesty, reason, and evidence-based thinking.

As a scientist at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Parameswaran earned a comfortable salary, but he chose to give it up to become a full-time political and social activist, taking a significant pay cut. This decision was driven by his passion to take science to ordinary people and cultivate the scientific temper envisaged in the Indian Constitution.

Parameswaran travelled extensively across Kerala and the country, explaining complex scientific concepts in simple language, making them accessible to everyone. He believed that a scientific outlook was essential to protect society from superstition, prejudice, and unreason, whether religious or political.

A card-carrying member of the Communist Party, Parameswaran was never afraid to question established ideas, including those of his own party. His book, The Fourth World, presented a powerful exposition of his worldview, imagining a world based on decentralised democracy, localised economic production, and rejection of consumerism.

His ideas provoked debate within the party, and after a prolonged controversy, he was expelled from the CPI(M) in 2004 for indiscipline. However, this expulsion did not deter him from standing by his convictions. He endured the consequences without recanting, earning the respect of liberals and democrats across ideological divides.

Parameswaran's greatest legacy is his extraordinary contribution to popular science. As one of the foremost figures of the Kerala Sastra Sahithya Parishad, he helped turn the people's science movement into a powerful social force. He was instrumental in building the All India People's Science Network and the Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti, which conducted literacy campaigns.

He wrote nearly 100 books on subjects ranging from atomic energy and radioactivity to astronomy, mathematics, ecology, education, and political economy. His genius lay in making complex ideas accessible without oversimplifying them.

Parameswaran's life demonstrated that science is not merely a body of knowledge but a way of thinking. He insisted on reason, evidence, intellectual courage, and the freedom to think independently. His passing is the loss of a rare public intellectual who taught generations that questioning authority is not disloyalty and that the search for truth must always remain greater than loyalty to an ideology.

In today's India, Parameswaran's legacy serves as a reminder of the importance of intellectual honesty, critical thinking, and the freedom to question established ideas. His life and work continue to inspire generations to embrace the scientific temper and strive for a more rational and just society.