Imperial College London, a top public university in England, has revealed its intention to bestow the name of Dr Abdus Salam, Pakistan’s first Nobel laureate, on its main library, in a decision that aims to pay tribute to the physicist’s legacy.
Salam was a member of the Ahmadi sect, which is considered heretical by law in Pakistan and targeted by far-right groups.
Salam shared the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physics with Sheldon Glashow and Steven Weinberg for helping to pave the way to the discovery of the “God particle,” one of science’s greatest achievements in the last 100 years.
However, under pressure from right-wing clerics, Salam was banned from lecturing at public universities during his lifetime, and even after winning the Nobel.
Salam’s association with Imperial College dates back to 1957 when he joined as a faculty member. During his tenure, he established the Theoretical Physics Department alongside the late Professor T. Matthews.
The management board of the institution reached the resolution as part of their efforts in response to a comprehensive report by its History Group. Published last year, the report shed light on the historical figures and individuals associated with the institution who have not received adequate recognition for their contributions.
Writing to university staff and students, Hugh Brady, president of the institution, said: “Throughout his career, the Nobel Prize-winning Professor of Theoretical Physics Abdus Salam made a tremendous contribution to Imperial, as well as to the world of physics and science more generally. It is right that we do more to celebrate this legacy. I hope the new Abdus Salam Library inspires many more people in the years to come.”
A formal launch and naming ceremony for the library will take place in the next academic year, the institute said.
