Stephen Hawking (1942-2018) was a renowned British theoretical physicist and cosmologist. Despite battling with a rare motor neuron disease, Hawking made remarkable contributions to our understanding of the universe. He is best known for his work on black holes and the theory of relativity, including the publication of his bestselling book 'A Brief History of Time'. Hawking's groundbreaking research and popular science writings made him one of the most influential scientists of his time.