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New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Science
- New Indian Express
India's space odyssey: From ancient stargazers to lunar landings
BENGALURU: From ancient stargazers and astronomers to the invention of zero and grand architectural marvels aligned with celestial events, India's scientific temper was evident long before the space age began. Naturally, this spirit paved the way for advancements in rocketry and space exploration. After gaining Independence, precisely 78 years ago on August 15, 1947, India emerged onto the global scientific stage just as the Cold War began, and the USA and USSR embarked on a fierce Space Race. While the superpowers competed for supremacy, India took a different path, one rooted in harnessing space technology to address developmental challenges. That same year, Dr Vikram Sarabhai (1919-1971), hailed as the father of India's space programme, founded the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad. He initially focused on cosmic ray and upper-atmosphere research, gradually expanding into broader space science. Sarabhai envisioned that space technology could aid national development, especially in weather forecasting, telecommunications, and resource management. India's space journey began in 1961 when Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru placed space research under the Department of Atomic Energy. A year later, the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was established under Dr. Homi J. Bhabha, with Vikram Sarabhai as chairman. Thumba in Kerala, near the magnetic equator, was chosen as the site for the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS). A local church became the first control room. On November 21, 1963, India launched its first rocket, a Nike-Apache, with parts transported on bicycles. INCOSPAR evolved into the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on August 15, 1969. In 1972, ISRO was brought under the newly formed Department of Space (DOS). India's first satellite, Aryabhata, was launched in 1975. In 1971, ISRO set up the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota. India's first satellite launch vehicle, SLV-3, flew in 1979. The 1981 launch of the experimental satellite APPLE from French Guiana paved the way for the INSAT series, starting in 1982, supporting weather, telecom, and broadcasting services.
Time of India
12-08-2025
- Science
- Time of India
India's space race: From bullock carts to Gaganyaan
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads When Dr Vikram Sarabhai uttered those words, India was yet to become the thriving contender for space that it is today. But words hold power. More so when one envisions a future many think is too far-fetched. That visionary, and India's father of space research, Dr Sarabhai, dared to imagine rockets launching from Indian soil not as a luxury, but as a necessity. A means to lift millions through technology, education, and started as a simple prototype, built within the humble confinements of a tiny outhouse in his Ahmedabad home, would soon take flight, inching India closer to a future once thought is the story of how one dream, one vision, and one relentless aspiration propelled a third-world country into the race for hard to imagine now, but India's space programme began in a small church on the shores of Kerala. In 1962, the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) chose Thumba, a quiet fishing village near Thiruvananthapuram, as the site for its first rocket launch station. The reason was as practical as it was poetic: it sat almost exactly on the magnetic equator, an ideal location for atmospheric St. Mary Magdalene Church became the control room. The adjoining bishop's house turned into the office. The images from those days have become iconic symbols of how resourcefulness filled the gaps that money could November 21, 1963, India launched its first sounding rocket, a small Nike-Apache supplied by the United States. It was a modest start, but it marked the moment India had officially entered the space age. ISRO and India's first satellitesOn 15th August 1969, INCOSPAR evolved into the Indian Space Research Organisation — ISRO — with Vikram Sarabhai as its first chairman. Its mission was clear: to harness space technology for national development, whether in weather forecasting, telecommunications, education, or resource first big leap came in 1975, when India launched its first satellite, Aryabhata , named after the ancient Indian mathematician and astronomer. Though it was built in India, the launch took place from the Soviet Union's Kapustin Yar site. Aryabhata stayed in orbit for nearly 17 the years that followed, satellites like Bhaskara (for Earth observation) and APPLE (for experimental communication) expanded India's capabilities. APPLE's launch in 1981 was particularly memorable, notably for the image of the satellite being transported on a bullock cart to test facilities, a reminder of how far ambition could stretch limited the late 1980s, India was no longer just a participant in the space race, it was becoming a contender with its own launch vehicles, setting the stage for the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle ( PSLV ) programme that would define ISRO's global the early 1990s, ISRO introduced the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle — the PSLV — a rocket designed to place satellites into polar orbits. It wasn't an overnight success; the first flight in 1993 failed. But by its second attempt in 1994, the PSLV had found its footing, and over time, it became ISRO's most reliable launch vehicle, with a success rate that drew clients from across the PSLV's crowning moment came in February 2017, when it launched 104 satellites in a single mission, shattering the previous world rocket went on to carry some of ISRO's most ambitious missions beyond Earth's orbit. In 2008, PSLV launched Chandrayaan-1, India's first mission to the Moon, which famously discovered evidence of water molecules on the lunar surface. Then, in 2013, came the Mars Orbiter Mission — Mangalyaan — which made India the first Asian nation to reach Mars orbit and the first in the world to do so in its maiden attempt. At just $74 million, it became a symbol of frugality meeting innovation, earning global Mangalyaan proved India's interplanetary capability, the next decade showed its staying power. After Chandrayaan-2's lander crashed during its 2019 Moon landing attempt, ISRO returned with Chandrayaan-3 in 2023. This time, the Vikram lander touched down flawlessly near the lunar south pole, a feat no other nation had achieved, and the Pragyan rover began exploring the surface, sending back images and data that would deepen lunar 2023, ISRO also launched Aditya-L1, its first dedicated mission to study the Sun. Placed in a halo orbit around the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1, the spacecraft began observing solar winds, flares, and coronal mass ejections, knowledge crucial not just for science, but for protecting satellites and communications on missions weren't just technological successes, they also set the stage for ISRO's most ambitious leap yet: sending humans into path in space has not been without its hurdles which often included geopolitical and racial challenges. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, when ISRO was developing the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), the United States imposed sanctions on India's space program under technology transfer sanctions slowed progress and challenged India's efforts to build indigenous heavy-lift launch capabilities. Yet, instead of succumbing to external pressure, ISRO doubled down on innovation, eventually mastering cryogenic engine technology and launching the GSLV Mark III, which now powers missions like Gaganyaan A particularly galling moment came when the New York Times published a cartoon depicting Indian farmers as backward and excluded from the global 'elite space club.' The image sparked widespread outrage in India for reducing a complex society to tired stereotypes and undermining the nation's hard-won scientific was a souring reminder of the prevailing Western prejudices that can distort perceptions of India's upcoming Gaganyaan mission represents the culmination of six decades of grit, innovation, and unwavering ambition. Scheduled for launch in late 2025, this human spaceflight program aims to send Indian astronauts, called vyomanauts, into low Earth orbit, marking India's first crewed mission to Vikram Sarabhai's vision remains the guiding star. As India prepares to send its first astronauts into space, that vision of purpose beyond prestige has never been clearer.
NDTV
12-08-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Remembering Father Of Indian Space: How Vikram Sarabhai Built Indian Space Research Organisation From Scratch
On August 12, the nation remembered and celebrated the 106th birth anniversary of Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the legendary physicist, and widely known as Father of India's Space Programme. From pioneering cosmic ray research to laying the foundations of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), his contributions continue to inspire India's journey of space and technology. The ISRO paid tributes to Dr Sarabhai and shared video on Social media platform X, celebrating his legacy. "On his 106th birth anniversary, we celebrate Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the visionary who ignited India's space journey. His belief in applying space science for societal benefit continues to shape the nation's space programme. As we approach National Space Day, his legacy endures," ISRO wrote on X. On his 106th birth anniversary, we celebrate Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the visionary who ignited India's space journey. His belief in applying space science for societal benefit continues to shape the nation's space programme. As we approach National Space Day, his legacy endures.… — ISRO (@isro) August 12, 2025 Leaders from across the political spectrum also paid homage to his enduring legacy. Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha Om Birla in a post on X said, "Respectful salutations on the birth anniversary of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the pioneer of Indian space programme, great scientist, Padma Vibhushan awardee. With the establishment of the Physical Research Laboratory, he made the country self-reliant in space technology through the establishment of ISRO. Due to his inspiration, today India is touching new heights in space." भारतीय अंतरिक्ष कार्यक्रम के प्रणेता, महान वैज्ञानिक, पद्म विभूषण से सम्मानित डॉ. विक्रम साराभाई जी की जयंती पर सादर नमन। भौतिक अनुसंधान प्रयोगशाला की स्थापना के साथ उन्होंने भारत में वैज्ञानिक अनुसंधान की नींव रखी और भारतीय अंतरिक्ष अनुसंधान संगठन (ISRO) की स्थापना के माध्यम से… — Om Birla (@ombirlakota) August 12, 2025 Calling Dr Sarabhai "a true nation builder," Dr. S Somanath, former ISRO Chairman said, "Remembering the 106th birth anniversary of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai - the visionary who built institutions in space, atomic energy, management, textiles & arts. A true nation builder whose contributions continue to inspire us. Though I never met him, his legacy shaped our journey at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre since the 80s." Remembering the 106th birth anniversary of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai — the visionary who built institutions in space, atomic energy, management, textiles & arts. A true nation builder whos contributions continues to inspire us. Though I never met him, his legacy shaped our journey at… — Dr. S Somanath (@SomanathSpeak) August 12, 2025 Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge wrote on X, "Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the Father of India's Space Program, was an exceptional physicist and institution-builder whose legacy we honour on his birth anniversary. His work continues to inspire innovation and progress, serving as a powerful example of how to cultivate a scientific mindset among the public." Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the "Father of India's Space Program," was an exceptional physicist and institution-builder whose legacy we honour on his birth anniversary. His strong relationship with Pandit Nehru was instrumental in the creation of INCOSPAR, the precursor to @isro one of… — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) August 12, 2025 Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju wrote, "Salutations on the birth anniversary of the great scientist Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, who laid the foundation of space science in India! His vision and unparalleled contributions led the nation toward a golden era of space research and showed generations the path to excellence in science." अंतरिक्ष विज्ञान में भारत की नींव रखने वाले महान वैज्ञानिक डॉ. विक्रम साराभाई जी की जयंती पर नमन! उनकी दूरदृष्टि और अद्वितीय योगदान ने देश को अंतरिक्ष अनुसंधान के स्वर्णिम युग की ओर अग्रसर किया और पीढ़ियों को विज्ञान में उत्कृष्टता का मार्ग दिखाया। #VikramSarabhai — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) August 12, 2025 Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis wrote on X, "Remembering the legendary scientist and founder of ISRO, Padma Vibhushan Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, on his Birth Anniversary! His vision launched India into the orbit of global space research." Remembering the legendary scientist and founder of ISRO, Padma Vibhushan Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, on his Birth Anniversary! His vision launched India into the orbit of global space research. भारतीय अंतराळ संशोधन संस्थेचे संस्थापक, भारतीय अंतराळ कार्यक्रमाचे जनक, प्रख्यात शास्त्रज्ञ,… — Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) August 12, 2025 Political parties BJP and Congress also paid tributes to Dr Sarabhai. Sharing a post on X, BJP said, "On his birth anniversary, we honour Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan awardee, visionary physicist and Father of India's Space Program, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, whose pioneering legacy continues to inspire generations." On his birth anniversary, we honour Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan awardee, visionary physicist and Father of India's Space Program, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, whose pioneering legacy continues to inspire generations. — BJP (@BJP4India) August 12, 2025 Congress on X wrote, "Remembering Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the visionary father of India's space programme. His pioneering spirit and dedication to scientific progress continue to inspire generations to dream big, innovate, and take India to new frontiers." Remembering Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the visionary father of India's space programme. His pioneering spirit and dedication to scientific progress continue to inspire generations to dream big, innovate, and take India to new frontiers. — Congress (@INCIndia) August 12, 2025 Dr. Vikram Sarabhai is remembered not just for his title as the "Father of India's Space Programme," but for being a driving force behind India's scientific awakening post-independence. In 1947, at just 28 years old, he founded the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad. Sarabhai played a significant role in establishing major Indian institutions, including the ISRO in 1969 and the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), in collaboration with local industrialists. He also chaired the Atomic Energy Commission, succeeding his mentor, Dr. Homi Bhabha. Birth Of India's Space Dream After the launch of the Soviet Sputnik in 1957, Sarabhai advocated for a dedicated Indian space programme. He stated, "There are some who question the relevance of space activities in a developing nation. To us, there is no ambiguity of purpose. We do not have the fantasy of competing with the economically advanced nations in the exploration of the moon or the planets or manned space-flight. But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second to none in the application of advanced technologies to the real problems of man and society." With Dr. Bhabha's support, Sarabhai identified Thumba in Kerala as the site for India's first rocket launching station. On November 21, 1963, the first sounding rocket carrying a sodium vapour payload was launched. Through his engagement with NASA, Sarabhai also laid the groundwork for the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) in 1975-1976, a project that brought educational television to rural India. He also initiated the project for India's first satellite Aryabhata, which was launched from the Soviet Union in 1975. ISRO: From Vision To Reality Sarabhai's chairmanship of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) in 1962 marked a new era. By 1969, INCOSPAR evolved into ISRO, India's premier space agency. Sarabhai's groundwork laid the path for India's later achievements: Indian National Satellite System (INSAT) Series in 1983, Chandrayaan-1 in 2008, Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) in 2014, Chandrayaan-3, and beyond. Academic Life Born in Ahmedabad on August 12, 1919, Sarabhai began his higher education at Cambridge, earning an undergraduate degree in physics and mathematics. He pursued his PhD under the guidance of Nobel laureate CV Raman at IISc, Bangalore. In 1942, he published his PhD work, 'Time Distribution of Cosmic Rays.' He passed away on December 30, 1971, at the age of 52. He was honoured with several awards, including, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award (1962), Padma Bhushan (1966) and Padma Vibhushan (1972, posthumously).
Hans India
12-08-2025
- Science
- Hans India
Dr. Vikram Sarabhai a visionary space scientist, laid foundation for Indian Space Programme: ISRO
New Delhi: While India today is among global space-faring nations, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai was the visionary space scientist who laid the foundation for Indian Space Programme, said the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), celebrating his 106th birth anniversary on Tuesday. Born in Ahmedabad in 1919, Dr Sarabhai came to be known as the father of the Indian space programme. India today is among the global space-faring nations, but without Dr Sarabhai, the country wouldn't have its own space programme. 'ISRO affectionately commemorates the birthday of visionary space scientist, Dr. Vikram A Sarabhai. His remarkable contributions laid the foundation for the Indian Space Programme. His legacy lives on as ISRO upholds his vision and mission,' ISRO shared in a post on the social media platform X. After returning from Cambridge to an independent India in 1947, as a 28-year-old, he persuaded charitable trusts controlled by his family and friends to endow a research institution near home in Ahmedabad, laying the foundation for the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad on November 11, 1947. He was the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and also established the ISRO. He successfully convinced the government of the importance of a space programme for a developing country like India after the Russian Sputnik launch. "We must be second to none in the application of advanced technologies to the real problems of man and society," Sarabhai had stated. Together with Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha, widely regarded as the father of India's nuclear science programme, he set up the first rocket launching station in India. Dr. Sarabhai also started a project for the fabrication and launch of an Indian Satellite, enabling the first Indian satellite -- Aryabhata -- to be put in orbit in 1975 from a Russian Cosmodrome. 'Remembering the 106th birth anniversary of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai -- the visionary who built institutions in space, atomic energy, management, textiles, and arts. A true nation builder whose contributions continue to inspire us. Though I never met him, his legacy shaped our journey at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre since the 80s,' Dr. S Somanath, former ISRO chairman, shared on X.
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Mallika Sarabhai defies pressure, joins ASHA workers' protest virtually
Refusing to bow to pressure, renowned dancer and Kerala Kalamandalam Chancellor Mallika Sarabhai joined a protest meeting in Thrissur virtually on Thursday (May 1, 2025), standing in solidarity with the ongoing agitation of ASHA workers. Ms. Sarabhai participated in the event, 'Honorarium for ASHA workers', a citizen's crowd funding campaign, by transferring honorarium of ₹1,000 to one of the protesting workers. Noted poet and lyricist Rafeeq Ahmed inaugurated the event. In a social media post Ms. Sarabhai has alleged that limitations have been placed on her freedom of expression in her new academic role as Chancellor of Kerala Kalamandalam. In a strong social media note, she wrote, 'Today I got my first taste of what it means to be the Chancellor of a University. Restricted speech.' 'There is an ASHA workers agitation on in Thrissur about increasing their pay. I believe these workers everywhere do very important work and are ill paid and used. Sarah Joseph is leading a citizens' crowd funding to increase their salary. I was asked for my opinion and gave it as me, as I have done all my life. Oh, not allowed any more. Hmmm. How do I stop being me? Do I even want to?' she wrote on her Facebook page. Noted writer and activist Sarah Joseph has expressed deep concern over the reported pressure exerted on Ms. Sarabhai against participating in the ASHA workers' protest. The ASHA workers protest cannot be silenced. This protest is not a political move against the government. Our effort is to express solidarity with the protesting ASHA workers,' Ms. Sarah Joseph said. Calling for an urgent resolution, Sarah Joseph emphasised, 'The strike should not have dragged on this long. Either the government must meet the workers' demands and end the protest, or the Asha workers must voluntarily withdraw. If neither happens, the larger society will respond — and this protest is one such response of solidarity.'
