New Delhi: On Wednesday, Google celebrated the 89th birth anniversary of the prominent Indian scientist and Professor Udupi Ramachandra Rao, famously remembered by the name ‘India’s Satellite Man’.
Professor Udupi Ramachandra Rao was an Indian space scientist and chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). He supervised India’s first satellite launched in 1975 known as “Aryabhata.”
Google doodle featured a sketch of Prof. Rao with Earth and shooting stars in the background. “Your stellar technological advancements continue to be felt across the galaxy,” Google stated in its description.
“Born in a remote village of Karnataka on this day in 1932, Prof Rao began his career as a cosmic-ray physicist and protege of Dr Vikram Sarabhai, a scientist widely regarded as the father of India’s space program. After completing his doctorate, Prof Rao brought his talents to the US, where he worked as a professor and conducted experiments on NASA’s Pioneer and Explorer space probes,” Google Doodle’s website reads.
In 1966, Professor Rao returned to India and began with an extensive high energy astronomy program at India’s institution for space science, Physical Research Laboratory, before launching his satellite program in 1972. Prof. Rao carried to move forward his nation’s space program to stratospheric heights as India’s Space Research Organization (ISRO) chairman from 1984 to 1994.
