ISRO Founder, Name and Profile 

Vikram Sarabhai, a visionary physicist, industrialist and the founder of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), left an indelibly mark on India’s scientific landscape. His multifaceted contributions spanned space research, nuclear power development and the establishment of numerous scientific institutions that continue to shape the nation’s progress. In this article, we will get to know about the founder of ISRO and his contribution in the Indian Space Programs.

Early Life and Educational Career

Birth date: 12th August 1919

Birth place: Ahmedabad, India

Vikram Sarabhai displayed an early aptitude for science. He embarked on his academic journey at Gujarat College and later pursued further studies at the University of Cambridge in England, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in natural sciences in 1940. However, the chaotic backdrop of World War II led him back to India, where he engaged in research on cosmic rays at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, under the guidance of renowned physicist Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman.

Indian Space Program

Vikram Sarabhai’s pivotal role in initiating the Indian Space Programme can’t be overstated. Witnessing the live transmission of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics through the American Satellite ‘Sycom-3’, he grasped the potential of space technologies for India. Following the launch of Sputnik 1 by Russia, Sarabhai persuaded the Indian government about the significance of a space program for the country’s development.

Establishment of ISRO

In 1962, the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was established to spearhead space research, eventually leading to the creation of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in August 1969. Sarabhai’s efforts culminated in the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station, a remarkable feet of infrastructure establishment along the coast of the Arabian Sea. He initiated programs to use space applications for development, exemplifier by the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE), which leveraged satellite communication to provide education to remote villages.

Institutions Established by Vikram Sarabhai

Vikram Sarabhai’s zeal for scientific inquiry and societal development drove him to establish several institutions. These are:

Physical Research Laboratory (PRL): Vikram Sarabhai founded the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in 1947 in Ahmedabad. Sarabhai was only 28 when he set up the PRL, which focused on various scientific domains.

Indian Institute of Management: He was also involved in the founding of the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad in 1962, recognizing the need for professional management education in India.

Ahmedabad Textile Industry’s Research Association: In 1947, he founded the Ahmedabad Textile Industry’s Research Association and looked its affairs until 1956.

Apart from the above institutions, Sarabhai was instrumental in establishing important institutions including the Community Science Centre, the Darpana Academy for performing arts, the Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad, Variable Energy Cyclotron Project in Calcutta, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thrivananthapuram, Faster Breeder Test Reactor in Kalpakkam, Uranium Corporation of India Limited in Jaduguda, Bihar and Electronics Corporation of India ltd. in Hyderabad.

Basic Details Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)

Formed: 15th August, 1969

Headquarters: Bangalore, Karnataka

Preceding Agency: INCOSPAR

Type: Space Agency

Founder: Vikram Sarabhai

Present Chairman: Sreedhara Somnath

The Indian Space Research Organization, commonly referred as ISRO, is the national space agency of India. It operates as the primary research and development arm of the Department of Space (DoS), which is directly overseen by the Prime Minister of India and the Chairman of ISRO acts as the executive of DoS.

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