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| ISRO’s founder on his 101st birthday, Vikram Sarabhai birth anniversary |
Making India believe that the sky’s the limit, Vikram Sarabhai is not only credited for putting the first Indian satellite, Aryabhata, in orbit in 1975 from a Russian cosmodrome but also for establishing the Indian Space Research Organisation. His pioneering contributions towards the establishment and development of India’s nuclear power plants for defence purposes, apart from taking education to remote villages through satellite communication, landed him with two of India’s highest honours - the Padma Bhushan in 1966 and the Padma Vibhushan which was awarded posthumously in 1972.
On his 101st birth anniversary today, Skyroot Aerospace announced the successful test firing of their Vikram-1 Launch vehicle. Taking to their Twitter handle, the Spacetech startup shared the test firing of an upper stage rocket engine. It tweeted, “No better day than Dr. Vikram Sarabhai’s birthday to announce our successful test firing of our Vikram-1 Launch vehicle’s upper stage Engine-Raman. Four Raman engines with multi-start capability produce a thrust of 3.4kN and inserts multiple satellites into orbit (sic).”
No better day than Dr. Vikram Sarabhai's birthday to announce our successful test firing of our Vikram-1 Launch vehicle's upper stage Engine-Raman.
Vikram Sarabhai was a visionary scientist, industrialist and institution-builder who called for the development of satellite-based remote sensing of natural resources. Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb remembered the Father of the Indian Space Program on his birth anniversary by tweeting his monochromatic picture.
As Sarabhai was dedicated to all aspects of science and technology, especially space applications, Deb shared, “Humble tributes to Father of Indian Space Program, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan Shri Vikram Sarabhai on his birth anniversary. He will always be remembered for his pioneering contribution to India’s space and nuclear programs (sic).”
Humble tributes to Father of Indian Space Program, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan Shri Vikram Sarabhai on his birth anniversary.
Hailing from the famous Sarabhai family of major industrialists who helped in the Independence movement in India, Vikram Sarabhai founded the Physical Research Laboratory at Ahmedabad in 1947 and Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, a decade later. One of the greatest achievements of the Cambridge doctorate holder was the establishment of the Indian National Committee for Space Research in 1962.
It was later renamed the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). An inspiration to young scientists of the country, Vikram Sarabhai’s birth anniversary is also celebrated as National Remote Sensing Day in India.
Interesting facts about Vikaram Sarabhai
- Sarabhai is the founder of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
- He set up the Operations Research Group (ORG), the first market research organisation in the country
- Sarabhai also set up the Nehru Foundation for Development in Ahmedabad, the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, the Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association (ATIRA) and CEPT among other notable institutes.
- He also intiated the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) in Kalpakkam
- Sarabhai started a project for the fabrication and launch of an Indian Satellite
- Due to his efforts the first Indian satellite, Aryabhata, was put in orbit in 1975 from a Russian cosmodrome.
- It was due to his that the first Indian Satellite, Aryabhata, was put in orbit in 1975 from a Russian cosmodrome.
- He held many distinguished positions including the President of the Physics section of ISC in 1962 and the President of General Conference of the IAEA, Vienna in 1972.
- He also served as the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India from 1966 to 1971.
- He was honoured with Padma Bhushan in 1966 and the Padma Vibhushan (posthumously) in 1972 for his contribution in the field of science.
- The lander on India's moon mission Chandrayaan-2 which was to land near the South Pole of the moon on September 20, 2019, was named Vikram in his honour.