Udupi Ramachandra Rao’s 89th birth anniversary: Interesting facts about ‘India’s Satellite Man’
Scientist Rao is the only Indian to date that has been registered into the Satellite Hall of Fame at Washington, in 2013 and the International Astronautics Federation (IAF) in Mexico on May 15, 2016.
New Delhi: On March 10, 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.
Here are some facts about Professor Rao
- Prof. Rao was born on March 10, 1932, in Adamaru, Udupi district in Karnataka. He spent most of his childhood in his village. Rao completed his higher studies in Bachelor of Science (BSc) from Madras University in 1952. He completed his Masters in Science (MSc) from Banaras Hindu University in 1954.
- Under the guidance of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai (father of India’s space program), Rao began his career as a cosmic-ray physicist.
- Prof. Rao went to the US to pursue his talents as an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas and Faculty Member at MIT.
- 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.
- He published around 350 scientific and technical papers that covered interplanetary physics, satellite and rocket technology, high-energy astronomy, cosmic rays and authored many books.
- Scientist Rao is the only Indian to date that has been registered into the Satellite Hall of Fame at Washington, in 2013 and the International Astronautics Federation (IAF) in Mexico on May 15, 2016.
- Udupi Ramachandra Rao died on July 24, 2017 at Indiranagar, Bengaluru