Twitter
Advertisement

Indian scientist among ‘Sexiest Men Alive’

Michael Manga, a 37-year-old Indo-Canadian geophysicist, has made it to the People magazine’s 20th anniversary special ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ issue under the ‘Smart Guys’ section.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

SILICON VALLEY/NEW YORK: Michael Manga, a 37-year-old Indo-Canadian geophysicist, has made it to the People magazine’s 20th anniversary special ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ issue under the ‘Smart Guys’ section.

Manga, who was named as one of the ‘Brilliant 10’ by Popular Science magazine two years ago, appears in the issue with names like Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas, George Clooney, Matthew McConaughey, Jake Gyllenhaal and Orlando Bloom.

This year in September he also bagged the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship — the Genius Award — of $500,000. The scientist, who has worn his hair in a ponytail since he was 18, was one of only two men in academia admitted to the ranks of America’s dreamiest dudes. He speculates that he came to People’s attention after winning the MacArthur and insists that neither honour has changed his life.

Manga, father of two boys, said: “I still get to change diapers, cook, vacuum and scrub the tub and toilets.” The scientist is not exactly thrilled about the honour and said the MacArthur is so much better than the People’s magazine.

According to him, the nice thing about being at Berkeley is that no one reads People, so no one knows about this — yet. And that’s the way it should be. “It’s kind of embarrassing in a way, because it’s not how I perceive myself,” said Manga. “But it is a way to let people know that it is OK to be a scientist.”

The People magazine’s list has included academics since 1997 and magazine editors who scanned pictures of this year’s MacArthur winners came across the pony-tailed Manga, said Elizabeth Sporkin, People’s executive editor. “I think a lot of people would be thrilled to have him as their professor,” she said. “He has long hair, he’s hip, he’s young.”

Manga is currently an associate professor at the University of California, Berkeley. His father, who is of Indian origin, immigrated to Canada from South Africa. Manga was born in Hamilton and raised in Ottawa.

According to university publication, UC Berkley News, Michael told his wife, librarian Susan Storch, that People magazine had contacted him because he had won the MacArthur in September. Manga’s wife “laughed for an hour” when her husband told her he was going to be in America’s favourite celebrity rag. “He just isn’t a People magazine kind of guy,” she said.

Manga was one of only two men in academia admitted to the ranks of America’s dreamiest men.

“That’s why I agreed to do this,” he explained. “I wanted to get information out to people who wouldn’t normally hear or see anything about science.”

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement