Dr Zahir Ahmad Shah
Assistant Professor
Physics
CURRENT ACADEMIC ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES
At the Manipal Centre for Natural Sciences (MCNS), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), I am engaged in teaching, research, and academic service. My current responsibilities include teaching postgraduate course Classical Mechanics, conducting independent research in high-energy astrophysics. I am involved in developing computational models and software for astrophysical data analysis. I coordinate the MCNS Seminar Series to promote scientific interactions through invited lectures by leading researchers. I actively collaborate with national and international research groups, publish research in peer-reviewed journals, and participate in activities aimed at promoting astronomy and astrophysics.
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
| Degree | Specialisation | Institute | Year of passing |
|---|---|---|---|
| PhD | High-Energy Astrophysics | Department of Physics, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, India | 2018 |
| M.Phil | Physics | Department of Physics, University of Kashmir, Srinagar | 2014 |
| M.Sc. | Physics | Department of Physics, University of Kashmir, Srinagar | 2011 |
Experience
| Institution / Organisation | Designation | Role | Tenure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune, Maharashtra | Postdoctoral Fellow | Conducted research on multi-wavelength observations of blazars, broadband spectral energy distribution modelling, high-energy emission mechanisms, and variability studies; collaborated on national and international research projects, Published research papers in high impact journals. | January 2019 – September 2021 |
| Department of Physics, Central University of Kashmir, Ganderbal, Jammu & Kashmir, India | DST INSPIRE Faculty | Conducted independent research in High-Energy Astrophysics; Published research papers in high impact international peer reviewed journals, mentored postgraduate and doctoral research students; taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses; developed computational tools for astrophysical SED modeling | September 2021 – June 2026 |
AREAS OF INTEREST, EXPERTISE AND RESEARCH
Area of Interest
1. High-Energy Astrophysics 2. Time-Domain Astronomy 3. Multi-wavelength Astronomy 4. Computational Astrophysics 5. Multi-messenger Astrophysics 6. Extreme Astrophysical Phenomena
Area of Expertise
1. Convolved Broadband Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) Modeling 2. Steady-state and Time-dependent Fokker–Planck Modeling of Non-thermal Particle Populations 3. Multi-wavelength Data Analysis and Interpretation 4. Time-resolved X-ray and Gamma-ray Spectroscopy 5. Identification and Characterization of Flaring Epochs 6. Time-series Analysis and Statistical Inference of Blazar Light Curves and X-ray Binaries. 7. Scientific Software Development and High-performance Scientific Computing 8. Astronomical Data Reduction and Numerical Modelling
Area of Research
My research focuses on understanding the physical processes that govern the production of high-energy radiation in the most extreme environments of the Universe. I investigate the physics of relativistic jets powered by supermassive black hole systems, with particular emphasis on particle acceleration, non-thermal radiation mechanisms, and the spectral and temporal evolution of high-energy astrophysical sources. By combining multi-wavelength observations with physically motivated computational modelling, I study the origin of flux variability, flaring activity, and broadband emission from compact astrophysical systems. My research also explores very-high-energy gamma-ray emission and its interaction with the extragalactic background light to probe both intrinsic source physics and the propagation of high-energy photons across cosmological distances. In addition, I am investigating the polarization properties of high-energy emission by developing theoretical models capable of reproducing contemporary X-ray polarization observations. Another major focus of my research is to examine whether the observed high-energy neutrino emission from relativistic jet sources can be explained within physically consistent lepto-hadronic emission scenarios, thereby exploring the connection between electromagnetic radiation, cosmic rays, and neutrinos in extreme astrophysical environments.
Professional Affiliations & Contributions
- Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator of research projects funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
- Coordinator of the MCNS Seminar Series, facilitating scientific interactions through invited lectures by leading national and international researchers.
- Active collaborator with researchers from universities and research institutes in India and abroad on multi-wavelength/multi-messenger studies of high-energy astrophysical sources.
- Developer of open-source computational tools for broadband spectral energy distribution (SED) modelling and high-energy astrophysical data analysis.
- Reviewer for international peer-reviewed journals in astronomy and astrophysics.
- Mentored undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students.