Dr. Suman Bala

Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) are the most luminous explosions in the universe, often referred to as cosmic fireworks. Despite decades of research, many fundamental questions about their origins, emission mechanisms, and connections to other astrophysical phenomena remain unanswered. The discovery of GRB 170817A, the first GRB detected as an electromagnetic counterpart to the gravitational wave event GW170817, marked the beginning of a new era in multi-messenger astronomy. In this talk, I will provide an overview of GRBs and discuss what we have learned from their spectral, temporal, and polarization properties through recent studies. Additionally, I will present results from targeted and subthreshold searches for GRBs as potential counterparts to gravitational wave events, highlighting their role in unraveling the long-standing mysteries of these cosmic explosions.