One of India’s greatest institution-builders, Dr Vikram Sarabhai, has been hailed as the “Father of the Indian Space Program,” and he founded or helped to construct a wide range of institutions in a variety of sectors. After returning from Cambridge to an independent India in 1947, Gandhi persuaded charity trusts controlled by his family and friends to build a research institute close to home in Ahmedabad, which became the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL). He established the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on November 11, 1947. At the time, he was only 28 years old. PRL was the initial step in Sarabhai’s process of creating and cultivating institutions. From 1966 through 1971, Vikram Sarabhai served as a PRL employee.
Institutes Established by Vikram Sarabhai
Some of the most well-known institutions established by Dr Sarabhai are:
1. Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad.
2. Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad.
3. Community Science Centre, Ahmedabad.
4. Darpan Academy for Performing Arts, Ahmedabad (along with his wife).
5. Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram.
6. Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad (This institution came into existence after merging six institutions/centres established by Sarabhai).
7. Faster Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR), Kalpakkam.
8. Variable Energy Cyclotron Project, Calcutta.
9. Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), Hyderabad.
10. Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), Jaduguda, Bihar.
Indian Space Program
The establishment of the Indian Space Research Organisation was one of his major achievements (ISRO). A space programme for a developing country like India became essential after the Russian Sputnik launch, thanks in part to his persuasive arguments. Others wonder whether or not space exploration is truly important in a developing country,” Dr Vikram Sarabhai said in his famous comment. It’s crystal clear to us what we’re aiming for. For us, space exploration and manned spaceflight are not competitive with the wealthiest countries.”
We believe that if we want to make a difference on the national and worldwide scale, we need to be the ones to pioneer the application of cutting-edge technologies to real-world problems facing individuals and society.
Nuclear Science Program
Dr Homi Jehangir Bhabha supported India’s first rocket-launching facility, widely regarded as the father of the country’s nuclear research programme. This centre was created at Thumba near Thiruvananthapuram on the shore of the Arabian Sea, partly because of its proximity to the equator. The first flight, which carried a sodium vapour payload, was launched on November 21, 1963, after a significant amount of work had been put into establishing the necessary infrastructure, personnel, communication lines, and launch pads.
As a result of Dr Vikram Sarabhai having a conversation with NASA in 1966, NASA launched the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) in July 1975 – July 1976. (when Dr. Sarabhai was no more).
Vikram Sara Bhai – Personal Life
Dr Vikram Sarabhai is a descendent of the prestigious Sarabhai family of Indian ancestry, which was a source of inspiration for him. Affluent industrialists who were committed to the Indian Freedom Movement gave him the luxury of being born into their family, which he used to his advantage. He was Ambalal Sarabhai’s son; hence his surname was Sarabhai. During Vikram Sarabhai’s marriage to Mrinalini Sarabhai in 1942, she performed as a traditional dancer, which was unusual for the time. The couple had two daughters, Mallika Sarabhai and Kartikeya Sarabhai, who their mother and father raised. In addition to becoming an activist and actress, Sarabhai’s daughter also rose to prominence in the field of science, while his son went on to become a well-known scientist.
Major Achievements
- In 1965, he established the Nehru Foundation for Development (NFD), a non-profit organisation devoted to advancing fundamental research into pressing issues in human progress.
- Additionally, he founded the Vikram A. Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC) to promote science and maths education for students and the broader public throughout the 1960s. The group’s mission was to pique the general public’s curiosity about science.
- Dr Homi Bhabha, a pioneer in nuclear research in India, wholeheartedly supported Sarabhai in his endeavours. Bhabha aided Sarabhai in constructing Thumba’s first rocket launch facility on the Arabian Sea coast. The first flight took place on November 21, 1963.
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which he helped to establish in 1969, was his most significant contribution to India. The organisation’s primary goal is to enhance space technology and put it to use for the country’s good.
- Vikram Sarabhai space centre is one of the biggest successes in India.
- Because of his contributions to the field of space research, Vikram Sarabhai is known as the “Father of the Indian Space Program” by many people. He established the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which grew to become the world’s largest government-sponsored space research organisation.
Conclusion
Dr Vikram Sarabhai is widely regarded as the “Father of the Indian Space Program” by the scientific community. He was instrumental in establishing India’s space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), for which he later served as chairman. Less than an hour after the discussion ended, Vikram Sarabhai, 52, died in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. He had suffered cardiac arrest. Ahmedabad was the location of his cremation. Vikram Sarabhai was born on August 12, 1919, in the Gujarati city of Ahmedabad, to a family of affluent entrepreneurs. He received his doctorate from Cambridge University in the same year. During his tenure at Cambridge, he conducted research on cosmic rays and produced many publications on the subject.