Vikram Sarabhai

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Vikram Sarabhai

Sarabhai in 1971
Chairman of Indian National Committee for Space Research and Indian Space Research
Organisation
In office
1963–1971
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by M.G.K.Menon
Personal details
Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai
Born
12 August 1919[1]
Ahmedabad, Bombay Presidency, British India
30 December 1971 (aged 52)
Died
Halcyon Castle, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
Spouse(s) Mrinalini Sarabhai
Mallika Sarabhai (daughter)
Children
Kartikeya Sarabhai (son)
Parent(s) Ambalal Sarabhai (father)
Alma mater University of Cambridge (BA, PhD)
Indian space program
Known for
Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
Awards Padma Bhushan (1966)
 Padma Vibhushan (posthumously) (1972)
Scientific career
Fields Physics
Indian Space Research Organisation
Institutions
Physical Research Laboratory
Doctoral advisor C. V. Raman
Doctoral students Udupi Ramachandra Rao

Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai (12 August 1919 – 30 December 1971) was an Indian physicist and
astronomer who initiated space research and helped develop nuclear power in India. He was
honoured with Padma Bhushan in 1966 and the Padma Vibhushan (posthumously) in 1972. He is
internationally regarded as the Father of the Indian Space Program.[2][3][4][5]

Contents
 1 Personal life
 2 Professional life
 3 Death
 4 Distinguished positions
 5 Legacy
 6 In popular culture
 7 References
 8 External links

Personal life

Vikram and Mrinalini Sarabhai (1948)

Son of Ambalal Sarabhai, he came from the famous Sarabhai family from India who were major
industrialists committed to the Indian independence movement. Vikram Sarabhai married the
classical dancer Mrinalini in 1942. The couple had two children. His daughter Mallika gained
prominence as an actress and activist, and his son Kartikeya too became an active person in
science. During his lifetime, he practiced Jainism.[6] He attended Gujarat College, Ahmedabad,
but later moved to the University of Cambridge, England, where he took his tripos in natural
sciences in 1940.[7] In 1945 he returned to Cambridge to pursue PhD and wrote a thesis, “Cosmic
Ray Investigations in Tropical Latitudes,” in 1947.[7]

Professional life

Dr. Vikram A. Sarabhai, (left) Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and
head of India's Department of Atomic Energy and Dr. Thomas O. Paine, NASA Administrator,
sign an agreement to cooperate in an unprecedented experiment using a space satellite to bring
instructional television programs to some 5,000 Indian villages.
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Known as the cradle of space sciences in India, the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) was
founded in 1947 by Vikram Sarabhai.[8] PRL had a modest beginning at his residence, the
"RETREAT", with research on cosmic rays. The institute was formally established at the M.G.
Science Institute, Ahmedabad, on 11 November 1947[9] with support from the Karmkshetra
Educational Foundation and the Ahmedabad Education Society. Prof. Kalpathi Ramakrishna
Ramanathan was the first Director of the institute. The initial focus was research on cosmic rays
and the properties of the upper atmosphere. Research areas were expanded to include theoretical
physics and radio physics later with grants from the Atomic Energy Commission. He led the
Sarabhai family-owned business conglomerate. His interests varied from science to sports to
statistics. He set up the Operations Research Group (ORG), the first market research
organization in the country. Most notable among the many institutes he helped set up are the
Nehru Foundation for Development in Ahmedabad, the Indian Institute of Management
Ahmedabad (IIMA), the Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association (ATIRA) and the
(CEPT). Along with his wife Mrinalini Sarabhai, he founded the Darpana Academy of
Performing Arts. Other projects and institutions initiated or established by him include the Fast
Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) in Kalpakkam, Variable Energy Cyclotron Project in Calcutta,
Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) in Hyderabad and Uranium Corporation of
India Limited (UCIL) in Jaduguda, Jharkhand. Sarabhai started a project for the fabrication and
launch of an Indian satellite. As a result, the first Indian satellite, Aryabhata, was put in orbit in
1975 from a Russian cosmodrome.[8] He was the founder of Indian Space Research Organisation.
Death
On 30 December 1971, Sarabhai was to review the SLV design before his departure for Bombay
the same night. He had spoken to A. P. J. Abdul Kalam on the telephone. Within an hour of the
conversation, Sarabhai died at the age of 52 due to cardiac arrest in Trivandrum (now
Thiruvananthapuram). His body was cremated in Ahmedabad.

Distinguished positions
 President of the Physics section, Indian Science Congress (1962)
 President of the General Conference of the I.A.E.A., Vienna (1970)
 Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India (1966–1971)[10][11]
 Vice-president, Fourth UN Conference on 'Peaceful uses of Atomic Energy' (1971)
 Founder and Chairman (1963–1971), Space Applications Centre[12]

Legacy

Sarabhai on a 1972 Indian stamp

 The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, (VSSC), which is the Indian Space Research
Organization's lead facility for launch vehicle development located in
Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), capital of Kerala state, is named in his memory.
 Along with other Ahmedabad-based industrialists, he played a major role in setting up of
the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.
 Indian Postal Department released a commemorative Postal Stamp On his first death
anniversary (30 December 1972)
 In 1973, the International Astronomical Union decided that a lunar crater, Bessel A, in
the Sea of Serenity will be known as the Sarabhai crater.[13][14]
 The lander on India's moon mission Chandrayaan-2 which was to land near the South
Pole of the moon on Sep 20, 2019 was named Vikram in his honour.
 Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC) located in Ahmedabad,
Gujarat is named after him. Vikram Sarabhai established this institute around the 1960s.
 Former World Quiz Champion Vikram Joshi was named after him.
 A Space Museum was dedicated to him at B M Birla Science Centre, Hyderabad on 26
July 2019. The museum was curated by Pranav Sharma.[15][16]
  On his 100th birthday on 12 August 2019, the Indian Space Research Organization
(ISRO) announced an award in the name of Vikram Sarabhai. The Vikram Sarabhai
Journalism award in Space Science Technology and Research will be given to those
journalists who have contributed to the fields of space science, applications, and research.
[17]

In popular culture
On 12 August 2019, Google's Doodle for India commemorated Sarabhai's 100th birth
anniversary.[18] On 30 September 2020, ACK Media along with ISRO released a book namely,
Vikram Sarabhai: Pioneering India's Space Programme. It was released in Amar Chitra Katha's
digital platform and merchandise, ACK Comics. A web-series, Rocket Boys, was released on 4
February 2022 on the life of Sarabhai and Homi J. Bhabha.[19]

References
1.

 Shah 2016, Chapter 1.

  "Padma Awards Directory (1954–2013)" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government
of India. 14 August 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21
July 2015.
  "Mystery behind Vikram Sarabhai's death". The Times of India. 30 December 2008.
Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  Unnithan, Chitra (8 January 2014). "Vikram Sarabhai's love affair gave birth to IIM-A".
The Times of India. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  Singh, Khushwant (14 January 2006). "Witness to persecution". The Tribune (Sunday
Extra). Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  "Jains steal the show with 7 Padmas". The times of India. Times of India. 9 April 2015.
Retrieved 9 December 2015. The Jain community has always nurtured exceptional talent
whether it is eminent scientist Vikram Sarabhai, who is considered the father of the country's
space program, or poet, thinker and spiritual leader Banarsidas who composed the magnum
opus Ardhakathanaka, the first-ever autobiography in Hindi literature.
  Goyal, Shikha (12 August 2019). "Vikram Sarabhai founder of ISRO 100th Birthday: All
you need to know". Jagran Josh. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  R., Parthasarathy (3 April 2003). "Vikram Sarabhai (1919-1971): Architect of Indian
space programme". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 18 May 2003. Retrieved 10
August 2019.
  "BRIEF HISTORY". Physical Research Laboratory, Department of Space, Government of
India. Archived from the original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  "From the Archives (May 23, 1969): Sarabhai assails faltering nuclear policy". The
Hindu. 23 May 2019. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  "Former Chairmen of Atomic Energy Commission" (PDF). Government of India
Department of Atomic Energy. 5 June 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  "Space Applications Centre". www.sac.gov.in. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  Antonín Rükl: Atlas Měsíce, Aventinum (Praha 1991), chapter Bessel, page 74, ISBN 80-
85277-10-7 (in Czech)
  Sarabhai (crater) – "Planetary Names: Sarabhai on Moon;". Gazetteer of Planetary
Nomenclature, IAU, USGS, NASA. 18 October 2010. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  "Space Museum opened at Hyderabad with ISRO Collaboration - ISRO".
www.isro.gov.in. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  & (6 December 2019). "Birla Science Centre's Pranav Sharma gets REX Karmaveer
Award". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  "ISRO announces Vikram Sarabhai awards for journalism in the fields of space science,
applications, and research". Firstpost. 8 August 2019.
  "Vikram Sarabhai's 100th Birthday".

19.  "Rocket Boys teaser: Jim Sarbh is a hopeful Homi J Bhabha, fans call it the next
Scam 1992". Hindustan Times. 30 October 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.

Bibliography

 Shah, Amrita (2016). Vikram Sarabhai: A Life. Penguin Books Limited. ISBN 978-93-
86057-18-1.

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Vikram Sarabhai

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vikram Sarabhai.

 Interview with biographer Amrita Shah recorded in August 2013

 Great Scientists at freeindia.org

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Preceded by ISRO Chairman Succeeded by

Position created 1963–1971 M. G. K. Menon

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Recipients of Padma Vibhushan

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