Rajesh Kochhar was a distinguished alumnus of Physics Honours School and Centre for Advanced Study in Mathematics of Panjab University, Chandigarh. He carved a niche for himself in the domains of History of Science in India and History of Astronomy. He co-authored books on the latter with the noted theoretical Physicist and Cosmologist Jayant Vishnu Narlikar. He also served as the President of the International Astronomical Union Commission 41 on History of Astronomy.

After having served at various national institutions in India, he returned to Chandigarh in the last phase of his academic life at NIPER, IISER and Panjab University campus. He was awarded INSA’s Indira Gandhi Prize for Popularization in Science (2014) and was designated as Honorary Professor in History of Science at Department of Mathematics of PU.

Rajesh Kochhar has been associated with several science outreach programmes of SPSTI.