Remembering Alexei Starobinsky -- the gentle giant of cosmology

TL;DR

This paper commemorates Alexei Starobinsky's influential contributions to cosmology, highlighting his pioneering work on inflation, collaborations with Indian scientists, and the development of diagnostic tools like Statefinder and Om.

Contribution

It provides a personal reflection on Starobinsky's scientific legacy and details the development of key cosmological diagnostics and collaborative efforts.

Findings

Development of the Statefinder diagnostic

Introduction of the Om diagnostic

Significant contributions to inflation theory

Abstract

I share fond memories of my former PhD advisor Alexei Starobinsky with whom I was closely associated for nearly 45 years. I reflect upon my early years in Moscow when I worked with him on my thesis, and touch upon the seminal work on inflation which he did during that period. Alexei visited India often and actively interacted with Indian scientists and students on issues relating to inflation, large scale structure and dark energy. This extensive collaboration, which lasted several decades, resulted in the publication of over a dozen important papers, several PhD's, and the development of the Statefinder and Om diagnostics, which I briefly discuss.