Who Was Vikram Sarabhai? Know About ISRO Founder After Whom Vikram Lander Is Named
As Chandrayaan-3 mission's Lander Module is about to to soft-land on the moon, do you know who the lander module is named after?
As the nation eagerly awaits Chandrayaan-3 mission's Lander Module to soft land on the moon, do you know who the lander module is named after?
Lander Module Vikram is named after Vikram Sarabhai (1919–1971) who is widely recognised as the father of the Indian space programme.
Read on to know more about Vikram Sarabhai.
Dr Vikram Sarabhai: Life and education
Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai was norn on August 12, 1919 in the city of Ahmedabad, Gujarat. In 1942, Vikram Sarabhai married the classical dancer Mrinalini. The couple had two children - Mallika who gained prominence as an actress and activist, and son Kartikeya became an environmental educator.
Dr Sarabhai completed his education from Gujarat College, Ahmedabad, and later from Cambridge University in England. He returned to Cambridge to earn his doctorate, after an initial stint at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, under the mentorship of another renowned scientist, Sir C.V. Raman. His research focused on cosmic rays.
Kartikeya Sarabhai and Mallika Sarabhai On Chandrayaan-3
Ahead of the moon landing, both the son and daughter paid tribute to their father and his legacy and said that the Chandrayaan-3 project represents the 'new India' and every citizen is proud of this project.
"It is a great day for all of us, not only Indians but globally, because no one was able to reach the southern side of the moon. People had tried in the past, but failed. There is a likelihood of water there in a different form," Kartikeya Sarabhai told PTI.
"It is a very proud feeling for us because the lander has been named after Vikram Sarabhai. But this pride is for all of us, not just the immediate family. Different components of this lander are made by different people. So it actually integrated so much of India into it. Scientists from all over the country were involved. It represents new India," he said.
Vikram Sarabhai's daughter and activist Mallika Sarabhai said the Indian moon mission is a step forward for the entire humanity.
"I believe in effort and science. I believe that ISRO scientists have done hard work and it will be a fulfillment of one of my father's dreams. He dreamt of using science and technology not for a race with other countries, nor to prove how great we are. But to see how mankind, humanity and the planet can get better, safer and more dignified for all," she told PTI.
Dr Vikram Sarabhai: Career
Dr Sarabhai is often called as the father of the Indian space programme. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) in 1962, which later evolved into the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1969.
His diverse contributions spanned across various fields. One of his foremost achievements was the creation of the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad in 1947. However, it is his work in the field of space that he is most renowned for.
Recognising the potential of satellite technology for a country as vast as India, Dr. Sarabhai was convinced of the role space technology could play in the nation's development. Under his leadership, India sent its first satellite, Aryabhata, into space in 1975. He also laid the foundation for the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station in Kerala.
Beyond space research, Dr Sarabhai's interests were eclectic. He played a pivotal role in the establishment of many institutions in diverse fields, from management and textiles to pharmaceuticals. The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, one of the premier management institutions in the country, was also set up by him in 1961. The institution has since become a beacon for management education in India and across the globe.
Dr Vikram Sarabhai: Institutions established
Some of the most well-known institutions established by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai are:
Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad
Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad
Community Science Centre, Ahmedabad
Darpan Academy for Performing Arts, Ahmedabad (along with his wife)
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuramm
Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad (This institution came into existence after merging six institutions/centres established by Vikram Sarabhai)
Faster Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR), Kalpakkam
Varaiable Energy Cyclotron Project, Calcutta
Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), Hyderabad
Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), Jaduguda, Bihar
Dr Vikram Sarabhai: Awards
Dr Vikram Sarabhai was awarded by Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in 1962, Padma Bhushan in 1966, and Padma Vibhushan, posthumous (after-death) in 1972.
Honours
The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, (VSSC), a research institute specialising in solid and liquid propellants for rockets located in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), capital of Kerala state, is named in his memory.
In 1974, the International Astronomical Union at Sydney decided that a Moon Crater BESSEL in the Sea of Serenity will be known as the Sarabhai Crater.
Dr Vikram Sarabhai: Death
Dr Vikram Sarabhai passed away at the young age of 52 on December 30, 1971 due to cardiac arrest in Thiruvananthapuram. On the same day, he was supposed to review the SLV design and had also spoken to A.P.J Abdul Kalam on the telephone. He passed away within an hour of the conversation.
