Aswin — Sekhar
: Discovered in 2000, this celestial body is approximately 4.5 kilometres in diameter and orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.
Scientific Contributions: Relativistic Precession and Planetary Defense
: The asteroid was originally discovered in 2000, but the naming served as a formal recognition of Sekhar's contributions to the field.
At the RAS, he serves on the Membership Committee, a role that involves vetting and recommending new researchers to become Fellows. For the IAU, he is part of the Leadership Committee for its Commission F1 (Meteors, Meteorites, and Interplanetary Dust). In this capacity, he helps set the definitions and scientific terminology for the field and helps organize major international conferences. His responsibilities are global and strategic, aimed at protecting our planet and space infrastructure from cosmic threats. aswin sekhar
On a cold morning, Memory did not rise. Aswin held him and felt how small the pulse had become, like a bird’s fluttering wing. There was grief, sharp and immediate, but it arrived with another, stranger feeling: an ache full of gratitude. He remembered the day the dog had appeared, the word “Remember,” the loosened routines that made room for unexpected kindness. He buried Memory beneath the maple on the riverbank, marking the place with a smooth pebble and a loop of twine.
Earned his degree from VIT University, Tamil Nadu, where he again secured the 3rd rank.
: This minor planet orbits approximately 5.87 crore kilometers away from Earth. : Discovered in 2000, this celestial body is approximately 4
: Formally known as (33928) Aswinsekhar , the object was originally discovered in 2000 by the Lowell Observatory Near-Earth-Object Search (LONEOS) program.
This work earned him the title of Queen's Leader from Queen's University Belfast in November 2025, an honour bestowed upon role models who make a significant impact beyond their job description. He views this role as a way to "strengthen ties between Northern Ireland and India" and to inspire students in both countries to "reach for the stars and planets".
He famously led research explaining why the 1993 Perseid meteor shower was so intense—revealing a complex "gravitational dance" between the meteors, Saturn, and Jupiter. 🏆 A Living Legacy For the IAU, he is part of the
Dr. Sekhar's research focuses on simulating past, present, and future meteoroid streams. By understanding how clusters of space debris move, his models accurately predict when and where meteor showers will interact with Earth's atmosphere. 2. Planetary Defense
A significant aspect of Dr. Sekhar’s career is his dedication to public outreach and "citizen science." He has published work advocating for the establishment of meteor observation networks in developing nations, ensuring that high-level astronomical research is not limited to developed regions. His efforts include advocating for gender balance and equality in astronomical sciences. Selected Publications
His published research in journals like Meteoritics & Planetary Science outlines the resonant behavior of the legendary and its associated debris field, the Orionid meteor stream. This work mapping celestial structures aids planetary defense agencies in keeping satellites and space infrastructure safe from high-velocity particle impacts. The Cosmos Naming: Asteroid 33928 Aswinsekhar Dr. Aswin Sekhar
Applying statistical methods and, more recently, machine learning to analyze the composition and density of meteoroid populations.
Born on October 5, 1985, Aswin Sekhar grew up in Cherpulassery, a small town near the Nila River in the Palakkad district of Kerala, India. Unlike many of his contemporaries who aimed for Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Sekhar's primary education took place in small, local institutions.