Thiruvananthapuram Apr 24 PTI Molecular bio-physicist and structural biologist professor Mamannamana Vijayan passed away in Bengaluru on Sunday said the Indian National Science Academy INSA He was 80 The health of Vijayan who was former president of the INSA during 2008-10 had deteriorated during the past two days the academy said in the social media With heavy heart we bring the sad news of the demise of an eminent Indian scientist of international repute prof Mamannamana Vijayan former president of INSA 2008-2010 in Bengaluru this morning He had not been well for the past two days Prof Vijayan had been at Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru for over five decades the INSA said Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan former union minister and senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh former state minister and CPIM politburo member M A Baby among others extended their condolences The Chief Minister recalled that Vijayans service in the field of science were invaluable Im deeply distressed at the death of Dr MVijayan He was a very eminent molecular biophysicist and played a prominent role as part of Dorothy Hodgkins team in the unravelling of the structure of insulin Georgina Ferry Hodgkins biographer has described his role very well I had been in touch with Dr Vijayan almost till his end During his illness he brought out his memoirs It is among the finest such narratives by any scientist Ramesh said in his posts Baby shared a photo of him with Dr Vijayan and expressed sadness at the demise The choice-based credit semester was implemented by the Left government of 2006-2011 in Kerala based on the report filed by an expert panel headed by Vijayan Baby who was the then education minister said in a post Vijayan who was born at Cherpu in Thrissur district of Kerala had made contributions particularly to the study of amino acids proteins and macromolecules He became Fellow of INSA in 1987 and was also Fellow of other major Academies including TWAS INSA family mourns the loss of such a doyen of the field and outstanding human being and sends the bereaved family condolences INSA said in the post He earned many honours including SS Bhatnagar Award Ranbaxy Award OP Bhasin Award G N Ramachandran Medal and also the first GN Ramachandran Medal by Indian Science Congress Association He was awarded Padma Shri in 2004 Vijayan had recently written an autobiography A Life among Men Women and Molecules published by INSA PTI RRT NVG NVG