Khagol Bulletin # 136 (Apr 2025) - ENG

| 18 | KHAG L | No. 136 - APRIL 2025 Tensions and Anomalies on the Sky: Quest for New Physics at Cosmological Scales A three-day workshop titled 'Tensions and Anomalies on the Sky: Quest for New Physics at Cosmological Scales' was organised at the Centre for Theoretical Physics, Jamia Millia Islamia, from March 06-08, 2025. The event was supported by the IUCAA Centre for Astronomy Research and Development (ICARD) and the A n u s a n d h a n N a t i o n a l R e s e a r c h Foundation (ANRF). The workshop brought together forty-seven participants from various institutes and universities across India. Among them were thirteen d i s t i n g u i s h e d p l e n a r y s p e a k e r s representing premier institutions such as Ashoka University, BITS Pilani, IISc Bengaluru, IISER Kolkata, IMSc Chennai, ISI Kolkata, IUCAA, Jamia Millia Islamia, NCRA- TIFR, Pune, SGT University, TIFR Mumbai, and Visva-Bharati. In addition to the plenary talks, the program included ten research presentations by Ph.D. students and postdoctoral researchers, as well as nine poster presentations by research scholars. The event facilitated vibrant discussions and encouraged collaborative efforts within the scientific community on the topic of emerging tensions and anomalies in cosmological observations. The workshop proved to be highly successful in promoting scholarly interaction and advancing the discourse on the quest for new physics at cosmological scales. The workshop was coordinated by Anjan Ananda Sen (Jamia Millia Islamia) and AnupamBhardwaj (IUCAA). Workshop on Stellar Evolution and Pulsation Modelling A two-day workshop on Stellar Evolution and Pulsation Modelling, organised by the Department of Physics, DDU Gorakhpur University, Uttar Pradesh, in collaboration with IUCAA, Pune, was held fromMarch 24- 25, 2025. The workshop provided a platform for students and researchers to explore the field of stellar astrophysics through lectures, discussions, and hands- on t r a i n i ng . App r ox ima t e l y f i f t y participants attended the hands-on sessions, while twenty-five participants engaged in both lectures and practical training. The resource persons for the workshop included distinguished experts from IUCAA and BHU, who delivered insightful lectures on various topics. Anupam Bharadwaj (IUCAA) provided in- depth discussions on stellar evolution and pulsation modelling, covering theoretical aspects and computational techniques. Prasanta Bera (BHU) delivered a talk on late-type degenerate stars, focusing on their physical properties and evolutionary pathways. Raj Prince (BHU) presented an engaging lecture on Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), discussing their role in galaxy evolution and high-energy astrophysics. A key highlight of the workshop was the hands-on session, where students gained practical experience with MESA (Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics). They successfully traced the life cycles of stars across various mass ranges, e n h a n c i n g t h e i r c omp u t a t i o n a l astrophysics skills. On the first day, all speakers delivered introductory lectures, which progressively transitioned to more advanced concepts over the course of the workshop. The final session concluded with an open Q&A, discussions on basic astrophysics, and closing remarks. Participants received certificates upon completion of the workshop. Shantanu Rastogi (ICARD Coordinator, Gorakhpur) chaired the session. The event was a valuable and en r i ch i ng expe r i ence , comb i n i ng theoretical insights with practical applications, inspiring participants to further explore the field of stellar as t rophys i cs . The wor kshop was coordinated by Apara Tripathi (DDUGU), Prabhunath Prasad (DDUGU) and Anupam Bhardwaj (IUCAA).