<P> For the English daily The Tribune, he answered readers' science - relate questions . </P> <P> He died due to old age related illnesses on 24 July 2017 in Noida, Uttar Pradesh . </P> <P> He was an atheist, and opposed belief in deities, astrology and religious rituals, dismissing them as unscientific . </P> <P> In 1976, the Indian government awarded Pal the Padma Bhushan for his contribution to science and space technology . A fellow of Indian National Science Academy, Pal was made a Marconi Fellow in 1980 for his work at the Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad . In 2009, he received the Kalinga Prize, awarded by UNESCO for the popularisation of science . In October 2011 he was also awarded the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for excellence in public administration, academics and management . </P>

First indian scientist to be honoured with the title national professor