It is with profound sadness that I am informing the radon community of the passing of one of the early “lions” of the radon industry. Dr. Payasada (Paul) Kotrappa passed away last night from complications associated with dengue fever that he contracted while visiting India with his wife last month.

Dr. Kotrappa was the “father” of the electret ion chamber, one of the founders of Rad Elec Inc., a perennial presenter at the AARST symposiums, and the author of countless publications on the measurement of radon and ionizing radiation. To say that Paul was an enthusiastic proponent of the
E-PERM system for the measurement of any form of ionizing radiation is an understatement. He published numerous publications on electret ion chamber technology, and the many ways in which it could be adapted. He received the Radiation Science and Technology Award from the American Nuclear Society for “pioneering work in the development of practical radiation monitoring systems based on electret dosimetry” in 1989 and was a co-recipient of the Gustav Akerblum Award from AARST.

Prior to coming to the United States, Dr. Kotrappa worked as a senior scientist at the Bhabha Atomic Research Center in India, and as an external professor of Physics at Bombay University where he guided students working for MS and PhD programs. In addition to working at Rad Elec, Paul held a position as a Visiting Scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

He was a good friend, a trusted colleague, and will be missed by me, his family and friends, and by the radon community to which he felt so connected. With the exception of his family, radon was Paul’s life – and he was talking and thinking about radon until the very end. May he rest in peace.

Rick Stieff