Page 11 - NIS English 01-15 Aug 2025

Vikram Sarabhai | PERSONALITY

The Hero of India’s

Space Journey

On 12 August 1919, a child was born in the house of Ambalal, a famous textile mill owner and social
worker of Ahmedabad. Once, Gurudev Rabindranath Thakur visited his house. When the child was
brought before him, seeing the broad forehead, he predicted that “the child would do great things one
day.” Later, Gurudev’s words turned out to be true. This child was Vikram Sarabhai, who not only achieved
great milestones for the country but also laid the foundation of India’s space journey in its early stages...

Birth: 12 August 1919 | Death: 31 December 1971

ince childhood, Vikram Sarabhai was attracted in India. Sarabhai is well known for setting up state-of-
to the intricacies of science and the world of ma- the-art institutions in India. He set up an institution like
Schines. Mother Saraladevi opened a Montessori the Ahmedabad Textile Industries Research Association
school where he completed his primary education. In (ATIRA) without having any exposure to this field. Physics
1937, he enrolled in St. John's College, Cambridge, UK. Research Laboratory (Hyderabad), Vikram Sarabhai
He completed his Tripos in Natural Sciences in 1940. At Space Center (Thiruvananthapuram), Fast Breeder Test
this time, the Second World War had engulfed Europe Reactor (Kalpakkam), Variable Energy Cyclotron Project
and other parts of the world. On his return from the (Calcutta), Indian Electronics Corporation Ltd. (Hyder-
UK, he joined the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. abad), and Indian Uranium Corporation Ltd. (Jadugoda,
Here, under the supervision of Nobel laureate Dr. Chan- Jharkhand) were set up on his initiative.The demise of
drashekhar Venkat Raman, he started studying cosmic Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha in a plane crash in 1966 dealt
rays. At the end of World War II, Sarabhai went back a severe blow to India's scientific programs. Sarabhai,
to Cambridge and obtained a PhD degree in cosmic with his efficiency and leadership ability, was able to
rays. He returned to India in 1947. In the same year, he step into his role to steer forward the country's nuclear
established the 'Physical Research Laboratory' (PRL) in program along with space.
Ahmedabad at the very young age of 28. Sarabhai was a mentor to former President Dr.
After the Russian Sputnik launch in 1957, he advo- APJ Abdul Kalam. More than 85 of his research
cated for the development of the space program and papers were published in national and international
its use in the interest of India. Due to Sarabhai's stead- science journals between 1947 and 1971. Sarabhai
fast efforts, the Indian National Committee for Space was awarded the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize in
Research (INCOSPAR) was established in 1962. On 15 1962. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1966
August 1969, it was reorganized and established as the and the Padma Vibhushan (posthumously) in 1972.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). He passed away in his sleep on 31 December 1971 in
His association with NASA paved the way for the Sat- a hotel in Kovalam, Kerala. Even at that time, an open
ellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) in 1975, book was lying on his chest. On 17 January 2019, PM
which is often cited as a precursor to cable television Modi unveiled Sarabhai's statue in Ahmedabad. n

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