Talks

Listed below, in reverse chronological order, are some of my recent talks.

Seminars, colloquiua and talks at meetings

  1. Decoding the physics of the early universe through gravitational waves, invited talk at the IBS CTPU-CGA 2024 Workshop on PBHs and GWs Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, Korea, March 18–22, 2024.
  2. Deciphering the physics of the early universe with gravitational waves, Colloquium, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru, March 5, 2024.
  3. Gravitational waves from the early universe, invited talk in the Indian Pulsar Timing Array Meeting, The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, February 5-9, 2024.
  4. Probing the primordial universe with electromagnetic and gravitational waves, The Brahmagupta Colloquium, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of technology Madras, Chennai, February 7, 2024.
  5. Genesis of magnetic fields during inflation---Effects due to non-trivial dynamics, plenary talk in the Conference on Cosmology @ CCSP, Thanu Padmanabhan Centre for Cosmology and Science Popularization, Shree Guru Gobind Singh Tricentenary University, Delhi-NCR, November 29-December 1, 2023.
  6. Loop contributions to the scalar power spectrum due to quartic order action in ultra slow roll inflation, invited talk in Remembering Amal Kumar Raychaudhuri, The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, October 5-7, 2023.
  7. Magnetogenesis during inflation: Imprints of non-trivial dynamics, invited talk in A. K. Raychaudhuri Centenary Symposium, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata, August 11-12, 2023.
  8. Magnetogenesis in non-trivial inflationary scenarios, Seminar, Department of Physical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, April 3, 2023; Seminar, Chennai Mathematical Institute, Chennai, April 20, 2023; Seminar, Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru, May 29, 2023.
  9. Magnetogenesis in inflationary models leading to features -- Challenges and possible resolutions, invited talk in Field Theoretic Aspects of Gravity, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, March 17-19, 2023.
  10. Imprints of non-trivial inflationary dynamics on small scales, invited talk at Frontiers in Cosmology, Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru, February 20-24, 2023.
  11. Probing the physics of the early universe, Thanu Padmanabhan Memorial Lecture, 35th Kerala Science Congress Mar Baselios Christian College of Engineering and Technology, Kuttikkanam, Idukki, February 10-14, 2023.
  12. Formation of PBHs: Possibilities and consequences, invited talk in Neutron Stars: The Celestial Clocks that Probe Extreme Physics, The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, February 1-3, 2023.
  13. Probing the physics of inflation and reheating, Colloquium, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar, December 9, 2022.
  14. Forces of nature: Padmanabhan and gravitation, IMSc Heritage Lecture Series, The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, November 4, 2022.
  15. Signatures of non-trivial inflationary and post-inflationary dynamics on small scales, invited talk in Current Status of Cosmology, Thanu Padmanabhan Centre for Cosmology and Science Popularization, Shree Guru Gobind Singh Tricentenary University, Delhi-NCR, October 17-19, 2022.
  16. Observational imprints of non-trivial inflationary and post-inflationary dynamics over small scales, online seminar at Institute of Astrophysics, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China December 6, 2021.
  17. Small scale signatures of non-trivial inflationary and post-inflationary dynamics, invited talk in International Conference on Advances in Relativity and Cosmology, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, held online during October 26-28, 2021.
  18. Observational probes of inflation on large and small scales, invited talk in Tribute to Prof. Thanu Padmanabhan, Commemorative Webinar Series, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, September 27-October 1, 2021.
  19. Small scale signatures of non-trivial inflationary and post-inflationary dynamics, Copernicus Webinar, August 31, 2021.
  20. Probing physics at high energies through cosmological observations, invited talk in the online India-STAR-ALICE Collaboration Meeting, Panjab University, Chandigarh, August 18, 2021.
  21. Signatures of enhanced scalar power on small scales, invited talk in the parallel session on General Relativity and Cosmology in The XXXIX Meeting of the Astronomical Society of India, held online during February 18-23, 2021.
  22. Observational probes of inflation on small scales, online seminar at the Department of Physical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, February 16, 2021.
  23. Are bouncing scenarios a viable alternative to inflation?, online Colloquium, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune, June 11, 2020.
  24. Did the universe bang or bounce?, Seminar, Department of Nonlinear Dynamics, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, March 13, 2020.
  25. Can bouncing scenarios generate primordial features?, contributed talk in The Ninth International Conference on Gravitation and Cosmology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, December 10-13, 2019.
  26. Suppression of scalar power on large scales and associated bispectra, invited talk in International Workshop on Frontiers in High Energy Physics, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, October 14-17, 2019.
  27. The status of the inflationary paradigm, Colloquium, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, September 30, 2019.
  28. Are bouncing scenarios a viable alternative to inflation?, Colloquium, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, August 30, 2019.
  29. Generation and amplification of primordial gravitational waves, invited talk in Bala Fest: The Future of Gravitational-Wave Astronomy, International Centre for Theoretical Studies, Bengaluru, August 19-22, 2019.
  30. Towards constructing viable bouncing scenarios, invited talk in Gravity at Different Length Scales, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata, February 25-27, 2019; seminar at Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, April 11, 2019; seminar at Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata, May 6, 2019.
  31. Did the universe bang or bounce?, Colloquium, Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, February 1, 2019.
  32. Primordial features from ekpyrotic bounces, contributed talk in the workshop on Cosmology - The Next Decade, International Centre for Theoretical Studies, Bengaluru, January 22-25, 2019.
  33. Magnetogenesis in inflationary and bouncing scenarios, contributed talk in The XXX Meeting of the Indian Association of General Relativity and Gravitation, Birla Institute of Technology and Science - Pilani, Hyderabad, January 3-5, 2019.
  34. Viable near-matter bounces, invited talk in Recent Developments in Cosmology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, April 6-8, 2018.
  35. The status of the inflationary paradigm -- A cosmological perspective, invited talk in Joint Astro and Particle Physics Meeting, Centre for Gravitational Physics and Astronomy, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune, and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, February 25, 2018.
  36. Inflation and the early universe, invited talk in Assessing the Prospects for Frontier Cosmic Microwave Background Experiments from India, Indian Space Research Organization Head Quarters, Bengaluru, January 7-8, 2018.
  37. Can inflation be falsified?, colloquium at Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, January 19, 2018.
  38. Viable primordial spectra from near-matter bounces, seminar at Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, January 19, 2018.
  39. Inflation and the early universe, talk in Assessing the Prospects for Frontier Cosmic Microwave Background Experiments from India, Indian Space Research Organization Head Quarters, Bengaluru, January 7-8, 2018.
  40. Primordial non-Gaussianities, working group talk in The Fifteenth Workshop in High Energy Physics Phenomenology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhopal, December 14-23, 2017.
  41. Viable scalar spectral tilt and tensor-to-scalar ratio in near-matter bounces, seminar at Chennai Mathematical Institute, Chennai, September 22, 2017; invited talk in Post-Planck Cosmology: Enigmas, Visions and Challenges, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune, October 9-12, 2017.
  42. Magnetogenesis in bouncing universes, invited talk in The Plasma Universe and its Structure Formation, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune, August 30-September 1, 2017.
  43. Can inflation be falsified?, colloquium at National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, Pune, April 10, 2017.
  44. Did the universe bang or bounce?, seminar at Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, April 7, 2017.
  45. Inflation and alternatives, invited talk in Workshop on Aspects of Gravity and Cosmology, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune, March 7-9, 2017.
  46. Viable tensor-to-scalar ratio in a symmetric matter bounce, invited talk in Aspects of Early Universe Cosmology, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata, January 16-20, 2017.
  47. Whither inflation?, colloquium at Department of Theoretical Physics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, November 22, 2016.
  48. Bouncing universes, seminar at Department of Theoretical Physics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, November 21, 2016.
  49. Bouncing universes, invited talks in One-day Meeting on Black Holes and Cosmology, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, October 6, 2015 and Discussion Meeting on Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar, October 30-November 5, 2015; seminar at Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata, July 25, 2016.
  50. The standard model of cosmology, invited talk in 100 Years of General Relativity: Where do we Stand?, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, February 13, 2016.
  51. Whither inflation?, invited talk in Discussion Meeting on Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar, October 30-November 5, 2015.
  52. Observational constraints on the standard cosmological model and beyond, invited talk in Astronomy, Cosmology and Fundamental Physics with Gravitational Waves, Chennai Mathematical Institute, Chennai, March 2-4, 2015.
  53. Inflationary three-point functions, plenary talk in The Primordial Universe after Planck, Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris, Paris, France, December 15-19, 2014 and seminar at The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, January 28, 2015.
  54. Computation and characteristics of inflationary three-point functions, invited talks in International Conference on Matters of Gravity and the Universe, Centre for Theoretical Physics, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, October 27-29, 2014 and Workshop on Invisible Matters, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, October 29-31, 2014.
  55. Beyond power spectra -- Inflationary three-point functions, invited talks in Aspects of Cosmology, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru, April 9-11, 2014 and SYMPHY, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, April 12-13, 2014.
  56. The BICEP2 results and its implications for the physics of the early universe, invited talks in Cosmology Day, International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Bengaluru, April 8, 2014 and International Workshop on Unification and Cosmology after Higgs Discovery and BICEP2, Department of Physics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, May 13-15, 2014.
  57. On the detection of the imprints of primordial gravitational waves on the CMB by BICEP2, talks on the BICEP2 results at The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, March 21, 2014 and at Chennai Mathematical Institute, Chennai, March 26, 2014.
  58. Inflationary three-point functions, talk in In-house Symposium, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, March 8, 2014.
  59. Numerical computation of inflationary three-point functions, working group talk in the Workshop on High Energy Physics and Phenomenology XIII, Puri, December 12-21, 2013.
  60. Generation of primordial non-Gaussianities and constraints from Planck, invited talk in Field Theoretic Aspects of Gravity IX, Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, September 5-8, 2013.
  61. The early universe: Through the 'eyes' of Planck, invited talk in Our Universe: Revelations from Planck, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru, April 17, 2013.
  62. Inflationary dynamics and non-Gaussianities: Planck and prospects, invited talk in Planck Day, International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Bengaluru, April 16, 2013.
  63. The scalar bi-spectrum during inflation and preheating in single field inflationary models, seminars at the Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru, April 15, 2013 and at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune, April 29, 2013.
  64. The inflationary scalar bi-spectrum - Status and possibilities, seminar at Chennai Mathematical Institute, Chennai March 27, 2013.
  65. Non-Gaussianities: A powerful probe of the early universe, invited review talk in XX DAE-BRNS High Energy Physics Symposium, Department of Physics, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan, January 13-18, 2013.
  66. The scalar bi-spectrum during inflation and preheating in single field inflationary models, seminar at Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris, Paris, France, December 10, 2012.
  67. Essentials of inflation and cosmological perturbation theory and Primordial features and non-Gaussianities, in Discussion Meeting on Cosmology, The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, February 14, 2012.
  68. Features in the primordial spectrum and associated non-Gaussianities, in Astro-Cosmo @ Trivandrum, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram, November 18, 2011.
  69. The scalar bi-spectrum in the Starobinsky model, in Indo-UK Scientific Seminar: Confronting Particle-Cosmology with Planck and LHC, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune, August 10-12, 2011.


Popular talks

  1. Gravitational waves and the stochastic background, Prof. M. C. Valsakumar Memorial Lecture, organized by the Academy of Physics Teachers, Kerala, Department of Physics, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, January 12, 2024.
  2. Gravitational waves and the stochastic background, talk in the Popular Science Lecture Series organized by the Tamil Nadu Science Forum, The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, July 22, 2023.
  3. Introduction to cosmology, online talk in the Summer Training Programme in Physics jointly organized by Department of Materials Science, University of Madras, Chennai, and Science City, Department of Higher Education, Government of Tamil Nadu, June 30, 2023.
  4. Introduction to cosmology, Three lectures at the Research Science Initiative Chennai, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, May 25 and June 2, 2023.
  5. Decoding the mysteries of the early universe, invited lecture on National Science Day, School of Advanced Sciences, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, February 28, 2023.
  6. Origin and evolution of cosmic structure, Madras Christian College, Chennai, January 24, 2023.
  7. Cosmic structure: Its origins and history, Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai, January 23, 2023.
  8. The origin and evolution of cosmic structure, online talk at Feynman Club, The Physics Society St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, October 8, 2021.
  9. Formation of structure in the universe, Online talk at ACT NEXT, Department of Physics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, September 11, 2020
  10. A brief history of the universe, The Guru Talks, IIT Madras Alumni Association, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, August 26, 2020
  11. Introduction to cosmology, two lectures in Research Training School in Physics, Department of Physics, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, February 29, 2020.
  12. The origin and evolution of cosmic structure, Tech talk in Dhishna, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, February 19, 2020.
  13. Cosmic structure: Its origins and history, talk at the Tamilnadu Science and Technology Centre, Chennai, February 12, 2020.
  14. Formation of structure in the universe, talk in the Popular Science Lecture Series organized by the Tamil Nadu Science Forum, Anna Centenary Library, Chennai, November 16, 2019; talk organized by The Academy of Sciences, Chennai at the Department of Physics, College of Engineering, Anna University, Chennai, January 8, 2020; talk organized by the Indian Physics Association, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, February 13, 2020.
  15. Cosmic microwave background: A window to the early universe, talk at National Conference on Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, Women's Christian College, Chennai, October 1-2, 2018.
  16. Hawking's ideas on the origin of the universe, talk in Stephen Hawking Memorial Programme organized by the Tamil Nadu Science Forum at Anna Centenary Library, Chennai, July 8, 2018.
  17. Hawking's genius, talk at Horizon: The Astronomy Club, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, March 18, 2018; Institute Colloquium, Indian Institute of Technology, Palakkad, April 4, 2018.
  18. Geodesics in curved spaces, two lectures at the Physics Alumni Lecture Series, Department of Physics, Madras Christian College, Chennai, March 17, 2018.
  19. The thriving marriage of mathematics and physics, Lecture at Workshop on Astronomy, Madras Christian College, Chennai, February 23, 2018.
  20. Unraveling the mysteries of the early universe, talks at Hindustan University, Chennai, January 10, 2017; Refresher Course in Physics, Department of Theoretical Physics, University of Madras, Chennai, May 26, 2017.
  21. Ripples in spacetime - A new window to the universe, talks at National Science Day, Indian Institute of Technology, Tirupati, March 1, 2016; TEDx, SRM Ramapuram, Chennai, March 17, 2016 and KCG College of Technology, Chennai, March 19, 2016; Workshop in Physics Education and Research, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, December 26, 2017; Refresher Course in Physics, Department of Theoretical Physics, University of Madras, Chennai, May 26, 2017; Summer Training in Physics and Chemistry, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, June 15, 2017.
  22. Understanding our universe - From the early epochs to late times, at Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, November 19, 2015 and in National Workshop on Theoretical Physics, Department of Physics, St. Aloysius College, Thrissur, November 27, 2015.
  23. Exploding stars, distances to far away galaxies, and the composition of the universe, at the Indo-German Urban Mela, YMCA College of Physical Education, Chennai, August 26, 2012; inaugural talk at Spectra, Department of Physics, Madras Christian College, Chennai, December 2, 2014; at POPSCICLE, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, January 21, 2015 and Colloquium, Department of Physics, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, November 2, 2015.
  24. A glimpse of the early universe through BICEP2, talk on the BICEP2 results at Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, March 28, 2014.
  25. An introduction to cosmology, in Workshop in Physics Education and Research, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, December 19-24, 2011.
  26. Distant supernovae and the accelerating universe, in 127th Meeting of the Chennai Science Club, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, November 12, 2011; in Popular Lecture Series, Stella Maris College, Chennai, January 27, 2012 and at the Science Club, Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Chennai, February 10, 2012.
  27. The accelerating universe, special talk on the physics Nobel prize 2011, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, October 27, 2011.
  28. Our universe: Its constitution and history, two lectures in Research Science Initiative Chennai, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, May 19, 2011, May 18, 2015 and May 14, 2018.