Vikram Sarabhai’s 52nd Death Anniversary

• 02 Jan 2025

Source: IE 

Why in News? 

• Every year, the 30th December is observed as the death anniversary of Vikram Sarabhai. 
• Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai was an Indian physicist and industrialist who initiated space research and helped develop nuclear power in India. 

 

What are the Contributions of Vikram Sarabhai? 

• Early Life and Education: 
  • Born on 12^th August 1919, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, to an affluent Jain family, Sarabhai was one of eight children of Ambalal and Sarla Devi. 
  • He showed creative promise early, building a working model of a train engine at 15, now preserved at the Community Science Centre (CSC) in Ahmedabad. 
  • He completed his Tripos (undergraduate degree) in Natural Sciences from St. John's College, Cambridge (1940). 
  • He returned to India during World War II to research cosmic rays under Dr. CV Raman at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. 
  • He was awarded a PhD from Cambridge in 1947 for his thesis on cosmic rays. 
• Institutional Legacy: Dr. Sarabhai was instrumental in establishing several institutions that continue to shape India’s scientific and industrial landscape: 
  • Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad: Founded in 1947, PRL marked the beginning of Sarabhai’s journey in institution building. 
  • Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad: Played a pivotal role in its creation. 
  • Community Science Centre, Ahmedabad: Founded in 1966 to promote science education. 
  • Darpan Academy for Performing Arts, Ahmedabad: Co-founded with his wife, Mrinalini Swaminathan. 
  • Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram: A hub for India’s space missions. 
  • Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad: Formed by merging six institutions. 
  • Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), Hyderabad. 
  • Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), Jaduguda, Bihar. 
• Contributions to Indian Space and Nuclear Programs: 
  • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO): He founded the ISRO, emphasizing the importance of space technology for societal development. 
    • Advocated for satellite applications to address India’s developmental challenges. 
  • Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE): Conceptualized with NASA, SITE beamed educational programs to rural areas, laying the foundation for programs like Doordarshan’s Krishi Darshan. 
  • Aryabhata Satellite: Initiated the fabrication of India’s first satellite, Aryabhata, launched in 1975 from a Russian cosmodrome. 
  • Atomic Energy Commission: Took over as chairman after Homi Bhabha’s death, advancing nuclear science. 
• Awards and Honors: 
  • Awards: 
    • Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award (1962) 
    • Padma Bhushan (1966) 
    • Padma Vibhushan (posthumously, 1972) 
  • Distinguished Positions: 
    • President, Physics Section, Indian Science Congress (1962) 
    • President, General Conference of the IAEA, Vienna (1970) 
    • Vice-President, Fourth UN Conference on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy (1971) 
  • Title: Mahatma Gandhi of Indian Science (By former President APJ Abdul Kalam). 
  • Legacy: 
    • Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) was named in his honor. 
    • A lunar crater, “Sarabhai Crater,” was named after him. 

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs): 

Q. Consider the following statements:

1. The Mangalyaan launched by ISRO is also called the Mars Orbiter Mission. 
2. made India the second country to have a spacecraft orbit the Mars after USA. 
3. made India the only country to be successful in making its spacecraft orbit the Mars in its very first attempt. 

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 

(a) 1 only 

(b) 2 and 3 only 

(c) 1 and 3 only 

(d) 1, 2 and 3 

Ans: (c ) 

 Q. What is ‘Greased Lightning-10 (GL-10)’, recently in the news?

(a) Electric plane tested by NASA 

(b) Solar-powered two-seater aircraft designed by Japan 

(c) Space observatory launched by China 

(d) Reusable rocket designed by ISRO 

Ans: (a)