Vikram Sarabhai

Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai (12 August 1919 30 December 1971) was one of the greatest scientists of India.
He is widely regarded as the father of the Indian space
programme. In fact he was a rare combination of a scientist, an innovator, industrialist and a visionary. He is
considered the father of Indias space programme.

This gave him exposure to new vistas of space science

with the launching of Sputnik-I in 1957. Subsequently,
the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was formed, under his chairmanship.
Knowing the unique feature of Thumba on account of its
proximity to the geomagnetic equator, Vikram Sarabhai
chose this shing village near Thiruvananthapuram on the
Arabian Coast to set up the Thumba Equatorial Rocket
Launching station (TERLS), the rst rocket launching
station in the country. In this venture he got active support from Homi Bhabha, who was then the Chairman of
the Atomic Energy Commission. The rst rocket with
sodium vapour payload was launched on November 21,
1963. In 1965, the UN General Assembly gave recognition to TERLS as an international facility.

Vikram Sarabhai was born on August 12, 1919 at

Ahmedabad in an auent family of progressive industrialists. He was one of the eight children of Ambalal and
Sarla Devi. He had his early education in a private school,
Retreat, run by his parents on Montessori lines. Some
of the great personalities like Gurudev Rabindranath, J
Krishna Murthi, Motilal Nehru, VS Shrinivasa Shastri,
Jawaharlal Nehru, Sarojini Naidu, Maulana Azad, CF
Andrews, C V Raman et al. used to stay with the Sarabhai
family when they visited Ahmedabad. Mahatma Gandhi
also once stayed at their house while recovering from an
illness. Visits by such great personalities greatly inuenced Vikram Sarabhai.

After the sudden demise of Homi Bhabha in an air crash,

Vikram Sarabhai took over as Chairman, Atomic Energy
Commission in May 1966. He always longed that the
practical application of science should reach the common
man. He worked towards acquiring competence in advance technology for the solution of countrys problems
based on technical and economic evaluation of its real
resources. He initiated Indias space programme, which
today is renowned all over the world.

After his matriculation, Vikram Sarabhai proceeded to

Cambridge for his college education and took the tripos in
Natural Sciences from St. Johns College in 1940. With
the beginning of World War II, he returned home and
joined as a research scholar under Sir CV Raman at the
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. His interest in solar physics and cosmic ray led him to set up many observation stations around the country. He built the necessary equipment and took measurements at Bangalore,
Pune and the Himalayas. He returned to Cambridge in
1945 and completed his PhD in 1947.

Dr Vikram Sarabhai received the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Medal in 1962. The nation honoured him awarding
Padma Bhushan in 1966 and Padma Vibhushan (posthumously) in 1972.
Vikram Sarabhai passed away in his sleep on December
30, 1971.[3]

Back home, he became instrumental in establishing the

Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad in
November 1947. The laboratory was established in a few
rooms in the MG Science Institute of the Ahmedabad Education Society, which was founded by his parents. Subsequently, it got support from the Council of Scientic
and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Department of
Atomic Energy.

Vikram Sarabhai went to Sheth Chimanlal Nagindas

Vidyalaya for his high school studies. Vikram Sarabhai
matriculated from the Gujarat College in Ahmedabad after passing the Intermediate Science examination.
After that, he moved to England and joined the St. Johns
College, University of Cambridge.[4]

The research that Vikram Sarabhai did on the time variations of cosmic rays concluded that meteorological ef1 Personal life
fects could not entirely aect the observed daily variations of cosmic rays; Further, the residual variations were
wide and global and these were related to variations in Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai was born on August 12, 1919
solar activity. Vikram Sarabhai visualised a new eld of at Ahmedabad in an auent family of progressive indusresearch opening up in solar and interplanetary physics. trialists. He was one of eight children of Ambalal and
Sarla Devi. He had his early education in a private school,
The year 1957-1958 was designated as International GeoRetreat run by his parents on Montessori lines. Some of
physical year (IGY). The Indian programme for the IGY
the great men of India such as Gurudev Rabindranath, J.
had been one of the most signicant ventures of Sarabhai.
Krishna Murthi, Motilal Nehru, V. S. Shrinivasa Shas1

7 DEATH

tri, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sarojini Naidu, Maulana Azad, and nd innovative methods of science education.[11]
C. F. Andrews, C. V. Raman et al. used to stay with
the Sarabhai family when they visited Ahmedabad. Mahatma Gandhi also once stayed at their house while re4 Indian Space Research Organicovering from an illness. Visits by such great men greatly
[5]
inuenced Vikram Sarabhai. He married the celebrated
zation
classical dancer Mrinalini in 1942. The couple had two
children. His daughter Mallika and son Karthikeya too Dr. Sarabhai was convinced and envisioned that the rebecame famous personalities in their own rights. [6]
sources in space have the potential to address the real
Spouse: Mrunalini sarabhai (: ), problems of man and society. As Director, Physical
famous classical dancer, she is sister of Indias freedom Research Laboratory (PRL) located in Ahmedabad, Dr.
Sarabhai convened an army of able and brilliant scienghter and revolutionary Dr Laxmi Sahgal.
tists, anthropologists, communicators and social scienDaughter: Mallika Sarabhai, (Film and Theater artist,
tists from all corners of the country to spearhead the Inclassical dancer, leading social activist, owner of populer
dian space programme.[12]
art Academy Darpan (: )
[7][8][9][10]

Physical Research Laboratory

5 Darpan Academy for Performing

Arts, Ahmedabad

Darpana was established as a dance academy by Mrinalini and Vikram Sarabhai in 1949. For nearly two
decades it taught classical dance. With Mrinalini as the
lead dancer, and ChatunniPanicker as her partner, the
Darpana dance company toured across the world. A
few years later the great Kuchipudi guru, c R Acharyelu
The institute was formally established at the M.G. joined the faculty.[13]
Science Institute, Ahmedabad, with support from the
Karmkshetra Educational Foundation and the Ahmedabad Education Society. Prof. Kalpathi Ramakrishna
Ramanathan was the rst Director of the institute. The 6 Indian Institute of Management
initial focus was research on cosmic rays and the prop(IIM), Ahmedabad
erties of the upper atmosphere. Research areas were expanded to include theoretical physics and radio physics
The decade following independence in 1947 was witness
later with grants from the Atomic Energy Commission.
to a surge of innovative ideas to build a edgling indeToday PRL is actively involved in research, related to ve pendent nation into a model democratic state commitmajor elds of science. PRL is also instrumental in the ted to growth with equity in the development of its peoPLANEX planetary science and exploration programme. ple. The establishment of Indian Institute of ManageLooking at the needs of the country, he persuaded chari- ment Ahmedabad (IIMA) was the outcome of one such
table trusts controlled by his family and friends to endow innovative initiative.
a research institution near his home in Ahmedabad. This Led by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, Shri. Kasturbhai Lalbled to the creation of the Physical Research Laboratory hai and proactively supported by the then Chief Minister
in Ahmedabad on November 11, 1947.
of Gujarat, Dr. Jivraj Mehta, a group of enlightened inKnown as the cradle of space sciences in India, the
Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) was founded on 11
November 1947 by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai. PRL had a
modest beginning at his residence, the RETREAT, with
research on cosmic rays.

Vikram A Sarabhai Community

Science Centre

dividuals set up IIMA. This group ably wove together a

coalition of ve actors - the governments at the centre and
the state, the local industrialists, the Ford Foundation and
the Harvard Business School, in a true spirit of public private partnership to establish the Institute.[14]

Vikram A. Sarabhai Community Science Centre

(VASCSC) established in the 1960s by the eminent
space scientist, Dr. Vikram A. Sarabhai is working 7 Death
towards popularizing science and mathematics education
among students, teachers and the laypublic. Its mandate He was visiting Thiruvananthapuram to attend the founis to stimulate interest, encourage and expose the princi- dation stone laying ceremony of the Thumba railway staples of science and scientic method and also to improve tion being built to service the newly created Thumba

3
Equatorial Rocket Launching Station. Sarabhai emphasized the importance of a space programme in his quote:

8 Distinguished Positions
President of the Physics section, Indian Science
Congress (1962)

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 spaceight.

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.

President of the General Conference of the

I.A.E.A., Viennaa (1970)
Vice-President, Fourth U.N. Conference on 'Peaceful uses of Atomic Energy' (1971)
Memories== The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre,
(VSSC), which is the Indian Space Research Organizations 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.

In 1973, the International Astronomical Union decided

that a lunar crater Bessel A in the Sea of Serenity will be
[17][18]
Homi Jehangir Bhabha, widely regarded as the father known as the Sarabhai crater.
of Indias nuclear science program, supported Sarabhai in setting up the rst rocket launching station in
India. This center was established at Thumba near 9 References
Thiruvananthapuram on the coast of the Arabian Sea,
primarily because of its proximity to the equator. Af- [1] mapsondia.com on Vikram Sarabhai
ter a remarkable eort in setting up the infrastructure,
personnel, communication links, and launch pads, the in- [2] iloveindia.com on Vikram Sarabhai
augural ight was launched on November 21, 1963 with a [3] The Visionary- Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai
sodium vapour payload. As a result, the rst Indian satellite, Aryabhata, was put in orbit in 1975 from a Russian [4] Welcome To ISRO :: Former Chairman :: Dr.Vikram
Sarabhai - Biodata. Isro.org. Retrieved on 2013-07-28.
Cosmodrome.
He led the Sarabhai familys diverse business conglomerate. His interests varied from science to sports to statistics. He set up Operations Research Group (ORG), the
rst market research organization in the country
Most notable among them are the Nehru Foundation for
Development in Ahmedabad, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), which is considered a world
class management institute. Also, he helped establish the
Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), which is doing a
commendable job[15][16] in R&D in physics. Sarabhai
set up Ahmedabad Textiles Industrial Research Association (ATIRA), which helped the booming textiles business in Ahmedabad. He also set up the Center for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT). Not stopping with all these, he went ahead and set up the Blind
Men Association (BMA) which helps visually-challenged
people with the necessary skills and support. Along with
his wife Mrinalini Sarabhai, he founded the Darpana
Academy of Performing Arts. Other well-known institutions established by him include the Faster 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.

[5] http://www.iloveindia.com/indian-heroes/
vikram-sarabhai.html#4IeTjVTRsRllVqaO.99
[6] The famous peopel - Vikram Sarabhai
[7] http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
2008-12-30/ahmedabad/27929298_1_
plane-crash-mallika-medical-reports
[8] http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/
Vikram-Sarabhais-love-affair-gave-birth-to-IIM-A-book-says/
articleshow/28534030.cms
[9] http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060121/saturday/
above.htm
[10] Vikram Sarabhai: A Life by Amrita Shah, 2007, Penguin
Viking ISBN 0-670-99951-2
[11] http://www.vascsc.org/
[12] ISRO - Genesis Page
[13] Darpan Academy History
[14] IIMA - Aboutus
[15] Vigyan Prasar, Dr. Vikram Sarbhai.
[16] ISRO Dr. Vikram Sarabhai.

10

[17] Antonn Rkl: Atlas Msce, Aventinum (Praha 1991),

chapter Bessel, page 74, ISBN 80-85277-10-7 (Czech)
[18] Crater Sarabhai on Moon Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, IAU, USGS, NASA

10

External links

Interview with biographer Amrita Shah recorded in

August 2013
Great Scientists at freeindia.org
Hindu Newspaper

EXTERNAL LINKS

11
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