India, May 21 -- Even as the scientific community mourns the passing of Dr Jayant Narlikar, many are revisiting his Marathi science fiction works that anticipated global crises long before it occurred. His story "Athenscha Plague" (The Plague in Athens), written over three decades ago, drew renewed attention during the Covid-19 pandemic five years ago.

Part of the anthology "Antaralatale Bhasmasur" (Demons in Space), the story imagined a deadly virus originating from an asteroid and devastating ancient Athens - a fictional but eerily prescient scenario that many found relatable in recent years.

In another novel, "Vaman Parat Na Aala" (Vaman Did Not Return), written in the 1980s, Narlikar explored the consequences of a world increasingly...