Death of a Legend!
Death of a Legend!
Yousaf Marri
Articles

Stephen Hawking was born in January 1942 at Oxford UK, He was a graduate of Oxford University and a post-graduate of the University of Cambridge. While in his post-graduation, he was diagnosed with motor neuron disease, which gradually paralyzed him and he finally lost his speech. But he did not discontinue his studies. Although in extreme difficulties, he committed himself into studying cosmology and theoretical physics. He was a professor of mathematics at the University of Cambridge and became a famous theoretical physicist, cosmologist and writer. He died a few days ago. The world is righty mourning his death and no amount of tribute can fully award his countless services.

Stephen Hawking was born in January 1942 at Oxford UK, He was a graduate of Oxford University and a post-graduate of the University of Cambridge. While in his post-graduation, he was diagnosed with motor neuron disease, which gradually paralyzed him and he finally lost his speech. But he did not discontinue his studies. Although in extreme difficulties, he committed himself into studying cosmology and theoretical physics. He was a professor of mathematics at the University of Cambridge and became a famous theoretical physicist, cosmologist and writer. He died a few days ago. The world is righty mourning his death and no amount of tribute can fully award his countless services.
Hawking was a legend, a man who has died to live forever. He lived a life that illuminated the world. He extended our scope of seeing things and broadened our vision into universe. He discovered new laws and expanded the arena of physical science, especially physics. It was he who unfolded many mysteries and defined black holes. None of his physical disabilities constrained him to explore new concepts, study cosmology and understand mathematical laws. Being the rebirth of Albert Einstein, Hawking made this world proud and earned unparalleled fame.
Many would remember him as one of the greatest minds in history. His works including ‘The Universe in a Nutshell’ and ‘A Short History of Time’ would form the basis of theoretical physics and would inspire millions to work in the field. His achievements in physics and cosmology can be explained more fully by scientists and students of science. As human beings, we are not unconcerned of his work and achievements but we are more interested in how he lived a legendary life despite seemingly insurmountable difficulties.
Hawking’s life corroborated the fact that no level of pretext is enough to be idle. His life negated sloth. He showed how a human can achieve his goals not when there is smooth sailing but when there are crises. He was paralyzed by a disease; yet he did not let this infirmity define his life. Never did he become a hostage to his disease and to his disabilities. He once said: ‘However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up’. We can take inspiration from his life and by comparing our difficulties to those of him, we can conclude that ours are very fewer and less severe.
Stephen Hawking was undeniably a great man but he became greater through his nation. He was lucky not to be borne in Madras and this is the reason why he did not become another Ramanujan. Heaven stripped him of his speech but his people were there to give voice to his thoughts. He could not speak by himself yet his voice did not end in his own throat. He could not write but someone or something was always there to write down what he thought or wanted to. His nation truly honored him, first, in his life and, finally, after his death. We should take lesson from this aspect of his life. Do we honor our scientists, physicists and literary men likewise?
His life and works can guide us in two ways. First, this world of ours is beautiful with men who are borne to serve and to know and to discover. Thousands, nay millions, may die and the same number of people may appear. The world is however truly honored by a few great minds like Stephen Hawking. It is not they who take pride of this world; it is we, the common men, who are proud of the fact that people like Hawking share the bonds of humanity with us. Everybody may have a role in his own capacity but very few are destined to live with so much dignity that their loss seems irreparable.
we should remember that great minds are not just borne; they are made. As a nation, we should think why people like Stephen Hawking are not borne among us. Why do we not honor our scientist? Stephen Hawking was awarded the greatest civil award by the United States: the presidential Medal of Freedom. Why do our civil awards just go into the baskets of sycophants and political friends? We just honor those who put their lives in harm’s way. Why do we not honor those who took countless efforts for the welfare of humankind? Let’s take a lesson from Hawking’s life and death by committing ourselves for the cause of science and other aspects of knowledge. But before doing that, we should decide whether we want to produce men like Stephen Hawking or otherwise.

The writer holds a masters degree in International Relations and a serving officer in the Ministry of Defence. He can reached atyousafmarri00@gmail.com