Vikram Sarabhai

Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, often referred to as the “Father of the Indian Space Program,” was a visionary scientist, space physicist, and astronomer who played an instrumental role in shaping India’s space research and exploration endeavours.

His significant contributions to space science and technology have left a profound mark on India’s scientific landscape.

Vikram Sarabhai – Background

Dr. Vikram Sarabhai was a renowned Indian physicist and astronomer who played a pivotal role in the development of India’s space program. He was a great institution builder who not only established but also assisted in establishing several institutions in various fields.

Early Life and Education of Vikram Sarabhai

• Vikram Sarabhai was born on August 12, 1919, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
  • His father, Ambalal Sarabhai, was an industrialist and was associated with the Ahmedabad mill strike of 1918.
• He studied at the University of Cambridge; he returned to India after the breakout of the Second World War and joined the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore.
  • Here, he began research on cosmic rays under the supervision of Sir C. V. Raman.
• After the war, he again returned to Cambridge in 1945 and received a PhD in 1947 for his thesis, “Cosmic Ray Investigation in Tropical Latitudes”.
• He returned to India after receiving his PhD to continue his research in cosmic ray physics.
  • He studied interplanetary space, solar-terrestrial interactions, and geomagnetism.
• Vikram Sarabhai passed away on December 30, 1971, in Kerala.

Career

After returning to India, Vikram Sarabhai embarked on a fruitful career in academia and research.

• Physical Research Laboratory (PRL): After his return in 1947, he played an instrumental role in establishing the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad.
  • At PRL, he conducted groundbreaking research in cosmic rays and space physics.
• Community Service Centre: He founded the Community Science Centre (later renamed Vikram A. Sarabhai Community Science Centre) under the auspices of the Nehru Foundation for Development.
• ISC: He served as the President of the Physics Section of the Indian Science Congress in 1962.
• Atomic Energy Commission: Vikram Sarabhai was appointed Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission under the Government of India in 1966.
• ISRO: He served as the Chairman of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) from 1962 to 1969 and later served as the first chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) from 1969 to 1971.
• IAEA: He served as the President of the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in 1970.
• U.N. Conference on ‘Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy’: He served as the vice-president of the Fourth U.N. Conference on ‘Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy’ in 1971.

Contributions of Vikram Sarabhai

Vikram Sarabhai made a number of significant contributions to science and technology, particularly in the fields of space and nuclear technology.

Indian Space Program

• Foundation of ISRO: One of the most notable accomplishments of Vikram Sarabhai was the establishment of ISRO.
  • After the Russian Sputnik launch, he successfully persuaded the government of the significance of a space programme for a developing country like India.
  • As a result, INCOSPAR was established in 1962 and later renamed ISRO.
• First rocket launching station: Vikram Sarabhai, along with the support of Homi Jehangir Bhabha, set up the first rocket launching station (Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station) in 1963 in India at Thumba near Thiruvananthapuram.
• SITE Project: As a result of Vikram Sarabhai’s dialogue with NASA in 1966, the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) was launched between July 1975 and July 1976.
• Pioneer of the first Indian satellite: Vikram Sarabhai began work on a project to build and launch an Indian satellite.
  • As a result, the first Indian satellite, Aryabhata, was launched into orbit from a Russian Cosmodrome in 1975.

Nuclear Energy

• Atomic Energy Commission: Vikram Sarabhai served as Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commissionafter the death of Homi Jehangir Bhabha.
  • He was largely responsible for the establishment and development of India’s nuclear power plants, carrying on Bhabha’s work in the field of nuclear research.
• Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) project: He laid the groundwork for indigenous nuclear technology development for defence purposes.
  • He started the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) project in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu.

Institutes Established by Vikram Sarabhai

Vikram Sarabhai was a visionary and established many institutions in the field of science and technology, which have benefited India in various fields. Some of the famous institutions established by Vikram Sarabhai include

• Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad
• Ahmedabad Textile Industry’s Research Association (ATIRA), Ahmedabad
• Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad
• Community Science Centre, Ahmedabad
• Operations Research Group (ORG), (India’s first market research agency)
• Darpan Academy for Performing Arts, Ahmedabad
• Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram
• Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad
• Faster Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR), Kalpakkam
• Variable Energy Cyclotron Project, Calcutta
• Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), Hyderabad
• Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), Jaduguda, Bihar

Awards and Honours received by Vikram Sarabhai

Following are some of the notable awards and recognitions of Vikram Sarabhai:

• Awards:
  • Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award, 1962
  • Padma Bhushan,1966
  • Padma Vibhushan, posthumous, 1972
• Honours:
  • The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, is named in his honour.
    • It is a research institute specialising in solid and liquid rocket propellants.
  • In 1974, the International Astronomical Union in Sydney decided to name a Moon Crater BESSEL in the Sea of Serenity, as the Sarabhai Crater.
  • ISRO named the lander of Chandrayaan 2 and Chandrayaan 3, ‘Vikram’ in honour of Vikram Sarabhai.

Vikram Sarabhai’s extraordinary contributions to science and technology, especially in the space and nuclear sectors, have earned him numerous awards and honours. He instilled a culture of scientific inquiry and research in India, inspiring countless young minds to explore the frontiers of science and technology.