Top Inventions And Major Contributions Of The Legendary Scientist

Vikram Sarabhai’s contributions to space research in India earned him recognition as the Father of the Indian space program.

Vikram Sarabhai is known as a great innovator, industrialist, scientist and the man who built many of India’s premier institutions like the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A). He established the Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad, and also he was the brain behind ISRO. Because of his pioneering vision, he is popularly known as the father of the Indian space programme.

Vikaram Sarabhai passed away on December 30, 1971, only at the age of 52. He was awarded Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second highest civil honour, in 1972 posthumously because of his contributions to nation-building.

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On the 51st death anniversary of Sarabhai, here is a look at his top inventions and major contributions.

Vikram Sarabhai helped physicist Homi Jehangir Bhabha to set up India’s first rocket-launching station, built in St Mary Magdalene Church near Thiruvananthapuram. The first flight from the station was a sodium vapor payload launched on November 21, 1963.

Vikram Sarabhai started a project that led to the building of India’s first artificial satellite orbiting the earth. The Aryabhata was launched after the death of Sarabhai in July 1976, on the Kapustin Yar, a Russian rocket.

He also set up India’s first market research organisation, called Operations Research Group (ORG) which aimed to apply modern analytical research to meet the needs of clients.

Sarabhai also spearheaded the establishment of the premier educational institution, the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Vikram Sarabhai also established the Ahmedabad Textile Industry’s Research Association in 1947.

After the death of Homi Bhabha in 1966, Sarabhai took over as the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India and carried forward the work of Homi Bhabha in the field of nuclear research. Sarabhai is also the face behind the foundations for developing India’s indigenous nuclear technology for defence.

Vikram Sarabhai also initiated the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu.

(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)