Anand Mahindra Shares Throwback Pic With Stephen Hawking in Viral 'Blast from the Past'

In a revelation that came as a surprise to many, celebrity scientist Stephen Hawking and Indian auto giant Anand Mahindra shared a moment of companionship nearly two decades ago. Mahindra shared a throwback photo on his Twitter handle featuring him with Hawking and surrounded by a group of people. Calling it a ‘blast from the past,’ Mahindra expressed that he was proud of his team to provide a specialised vehicle for the celebrated scientist.

Hawking, who suffered from ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease had little to no control over his muscles. After being diagnosed at the age of 21, the young scientist soon became wheelchair-bound. The author of A Brief History of Time never lost control of his sharp mind and went on to present many field-altering theories in Physics and Cosmology.

During his visit to India in 2001, he needed a vehicle that could easily accommodate him and his wheelchair with ease of access. Comfort was also a priority for the visiting guest and the auto team at Mahindra delivered a vehicle that would suit all his needs.

Also, in the picture are Justice PN Bhagwati, DR Mehta (Sebi Chief) at the time.

According to the Indian Express, Hawking was visiting India to receive an award. He was one of the three scientists to be felicitated with the first Sarojini Damodaran Fellowship by the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai. He also attended a seminar named Strings 2001 and talked about string theory, the origin of the universe and so on- topics he was very passionate about.

At the time of his visit, Hawking was a professor in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics at Cambridge University. Additionally, he was honoured with the position of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, a chair that was previously held by Newton and Dirac.