https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Vasant_R._GowarikerVasant R. Gowariker - Revision history2026-10-29T21:15:26ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vasant_R._Gowariker&diff=543736&oldid=prevJuanita09O: Creating First Stub W/ Refs2026-04-24T04:42:58Z<p>Creating First Stub W/ Refs</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Indian scientist (1933–2015)}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}<br />
{{Infobox person<br />
| name = Vasant R. Gowariker<br />
| image = Dr. Vasant Ranchhod Gowariker.png<br />
| caption = Vasant Ranchhod Gowariker<br />
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1933|03|25}}<br />
| birth_place = [[Pune|Poona]], [[Bombay Presidency]], [[British India]]<br>(present day [[Maharashtra]], India)<br />
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2015|01|02|1933|03|25}}<br />
| death_place = [[Pune]], [[Maharashtra]], India<br />
| spouse = Sudha Gowariker<br />
| children = Irawati, Ashwini, Kalyani<br />
| years_active = <br />
| occupation = Scientist<br />
| website = <br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Vasant Ranchhod Gowariker''' (25 March 1933&nbsp;– 2 January 2015) was an Indian scientist. He was a director in the [[Indian Space Research Organization]] and also the scientific [[Adviser|advisor]] to the [[Prime Minister of India]] from 1991 to 1993. Gowariker made valuable contributions to the fields of [[space research]], [[weather]] and [[Population (human biology)|population]]. He was well known for his monsoon forecast model as he was the first scientist to develop an indigenous [[Weather forecasting models|weather forecasting model]] that predicted the [[monsoon]] correctly.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.manase.org/en/maharashtra.php?mid=68&smid=23&pmid=6&id=845 |title=Vasant Gowarikar |access-date=2 January 2015 |archive-date=2 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150102212519/https://www.manase.org/en/maharashtra.php?mid=68&smid=23&pmid=6&id=845 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=ZeeObit /><br />
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==Early life==<br />
Gowariker was born in [[Poona]], [[British India]] on 25 March 1933 in Maharashtrian [[family]]. After his [[schooling]] and [[graduation]] from [[Kolhapur]] district in [[Western Maharashtra]], he embarked on his scientific odyssey to [[England]] in the early 1950s. He obtained his [[Master of Science|M.Sc.]] and [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]] in [[chemical engineering]], supervised by F. H. Garner. His [[collaboration]] resulted in the Garner-Gowariker [[theory]], which was a novel analysis of [[heat]] and [[mass]] transfer between [[solid]]s and [[fluid]].<ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/former-isro-chief-vasant-gowarikar-passes-away/article6749083.ece Vasant Gowarikar]</ref><br />
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==Career==<br />
He had worked with the [[Indian Space Research Organisation]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Remembering Vasant Gowarikar, the man behind Indian monsoon model |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/vasant-gowarikar-indian-scientist-234099-2015-01-04 |work=India Today |language=en}}</ref> Gowariker was involved in space research in early career under [[Vikram Sarabhai]] when his office was in the building of the local St Mary Magdalene Church in [[Thumba]] in [[Kerala]]. He pioneered [[solid propellant]] development and later served as Director of the [[Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre]] (VSSC) between 1979 and 1985.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Polymer News: Volume 15, Issue 1, January 2015 |url=https://www.spsitvm.in/pdf/PolymerNews-Jan2015-FINAL.pdf}}</ref><br />
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Gowariker also served as the scientific advisor to [[Prime Minister of India]] [[P.V. Narasimha Rao]] from 1991 to 1993. He had also been the [[Secretary]] of [[Department of Science and Technology (India)|Department of Science and Technology]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Banerjee |first1=Shoumojit |title=Scientist Vasant Gowarikar passes away |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/former-isro-chief-vasant-gowarikar-passes-away/article6749083.ece |work=The Hindu |date=2 January 2015 |language=en-IN}}</ref><br />
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He was appointed as [[Vice-chancellor|Vice-Chancellor]], [[Pune University]] and was [[chairman]] of the Marathi Vidnyan Parishad between 1994 and 2000. Gowariker, along with his associates, also compiled ''The Fertilizer Encyclopedia'' (2008) that featured 4,500 entries detailing the [[chemical composition]] of [[fertilizer]]s, and containing information on everything from their [[manufacturing]] and application to their economic and environmental considerations.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-28 |title=Dr Vasant Gowariker College education Kolhapur PhD completed akp 94 {{!}} कुतूहल : डॉ. वसंत गोवारीकर |url=https://www.loksatta.com/navneet/dr-vasant-gowarikar-college-education-kolhapur-phd-completed-akp-94-2779231/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Loksatta |language=mr}}</ref><br />
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==Death==<br />
Gowarikar died on 2 January 2015 at [[Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital]], Pune, [[India]] following [[dengue]] and [[urinary tract infection]]s.<ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/former-isro-chief-vasant-gowarikar-passes-away/article6749083.ece Scientist Vasant Gowarikar passes away]</ref><ref name=ZeeObit>{{cite news | url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/sci-tech/former-isro-chief-v-r-gowarikar-dies-in-pune_1523955.html | title=Former ISRO chief VR Gowarikar dies in Pune | date=3 January 2015 | publisher=Zee News | access-date=29 August 2018 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/scientist-vasant-gowarikar-no-more-115010200837_1.html Scientist Vasant Gowarikar no more]</ref><br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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{{s-bef|before=[[Brahm Prakash]]}}<br />
{{s-ttl|title=Director, [[Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre]]|years=1979 - 1985}}<br />
{{s-aft|after=Suresh Chandra Gupta}}<br />
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{{2000s Padma Shri Award Recipients in Science & Engineering}}<br />
{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 2000–09}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gowarikar, Vasant R.}}<br />
[[Category:Marathi-language writers]]<br />
[[Category:1933 births]]<br />
[[Category:Alumni of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge]]<br />
[[Category:Fellows of King's College, Cambridge]]<br />
[[Category:Scientists from Pune]]<br />
[[Category:2015 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in science & engineering]]<br />
[[Category:ISRO people]]<br />
[[Category:Space programme of India]]<br />
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in science & engineering]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian engineers]]<br />
[[Category:Engineers from Maharashtra]]</div>Juanita09O