A star fades: Modi, Nadella pay tribute to Stephen Hawking

Twitter was flooded with tributes for the legendary British theoretical physicist.

By ET Online | Updated: Mar 14, 2018, 12.23 PM IST

A star fades: Modi, Nadella pay tribute to Stephen Hawking

The news of physicist Professor Stephen Hawking's death early on Wednesday left people across the world in shock. The legendary British theoretical physicist who explored the mysteries of the universe from his wheelchair and went on to become an inspiring figure globally, died today at his home in Cambridge. He was 76.

Twitter was flooded with tributes for iconic scientist.

"We lost a great one today. Stephen Hawking will be remembered for his incredible contributions to science - making complex theories and concepts more accessible to the masses," tweeted Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

"He'll also be remembered for his spirit and unbounded pursuit to gain a complete understanding of the universe, despite the obstacles he faced. May he rest peacefully as his legacy and brilliance live on," Nadella added.

We lost a great one today. Stephen Hawking will be remembered for his incredible contributions to science – making… https://t.co/V8jikPcRKY
— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) 1521003118000

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today condoled the demise of cosmologist Stephen Hawking and said his grit and tenacity inspired people all over the world. "Professor Stephen Hawking was an outstanding scientist and academic. His grit and tenacity inspired people all over the world. His demise is anguishing. Professor Hawking's pioneering work made our world a better place. May his soul rest in peace," the prime minister said on Twitter.

Professor Stephen Hawking was an outstanding scientist and academic. His grit and tenacity inspired people all over… https://t.co/iAZ4vdIuVN
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) 1521003590000

President Ram Nath Kovind also paid his respects to the legend:

Sad to hear of the passing of scientist Stephen Hawking. His brilliant mind made our world and our universe a less… https://t.co/YCWMIQmUHy
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) 1521001518000

Google CEO Sundar Pichai tweeted: "The world has lost a beautiful mind and a brilliant scientist. RIP Stephen Hawking".
Hawking, who shaped modern cosmology and inspired millions died owing to complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - a progressive neuro-degenerative disease.

The world has lost a beautiful mind and a brilliant scientist. RIP Stephen Hawking
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) 1521001201000

NASA, Prof. Sarah Parcak, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, Professor of Practice at Harvard and former U.S. Ambassador to UN Samantha Power, and Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar were among the countless others who paid tribute to the genius:

Remembering Stephen Hawking, a renowned physicist and ambassador of science. His theories unlocked a universe of po… https://t.co/bcCi0mnhD1
— NASA (@NASA) 1521003981000

Stephen Hawking died today. I nearly killed him, and he me, 15 years ago, when his wheelchair shot out between two… https://t.co/B5GHjYl5EQ
— Prof. Sarah Parcak (@indyfromspace) 1521000189000

His passing has left an intellectual vacuum in his wake. But it's not empty. Think of it as a kind of vacuum energy… https://t.co/WR2TtwbNgh
— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) 1521000391000

R.I.P. Stephen Hawking. Among his many profound contributions to this world was this simple sentiment: “It would no… https://t.co/a7PJR7gKBn
— Samantha Power (@SamanthaJPower) 1520999642000

With the death of a genius Like Stephen Hawking the IQ of this planet has dropped drastically . Not only us , the… https://t.co/3p9p7tLZox
— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) 1521007929000

Hawking contracted motor neurone disease in 1963 and was given two years to live but he went on to study at Cambridge and became one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists since Albert Einstein. Hawking is survived by three children -- Robert, Lucy and Timothy -- from his first marriage to Jane Wilde, and three grandchildren.

The End Of An Era: Interesting Facts About Stephen Hawking

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The British physicist Stephen Hawking passed away on Wednesday morning at the age of 76. The author of 'A Brief History of Time' died peacefully at his home in Cambridge in England, a spokesman for his family confirmed in a statement.

Here's a quick glimpse at his life...

(Image: Stephen Hawking's Facebook Page)