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{{Short description|Father of experimental Fluid Dynamics Research in India}}{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Short description|Indian mathematician and engineer (1920–2002)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2019}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name              = Satish Dhawan
| image            = S Dhawan official Portrait ISRO.webp
| image_size        =
| caption          = Official Portrait
| title              = 3rd [[Chairperson of ISRO|Chairman of ISRO]]
| predecessor        = [[M. G. K. Menon]]
| successor          = [[Udupi Ramachandra Rao]]
| term_start          = 1972
| term_end            = 1984
| birth_date        = {{birth date|1920|9|25|df=y}}
| birth_place      = [[Srinagar]], [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[British India]]<br>{{small|(Present-day [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[India]])}}
| death_date        = {{death date and age|2002|01|03|1920|9|25|df=y}}
| death_place      = [[Bengaluru]], [[Karnataka]], [[India]]
| alma_mater        = {{Plainlist| 
* [[University of Punjab]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]], [[Master of Arts|MA]])
* [[Punjab Engineering College]] ([[B.E.|BE]])
* [[University of Minnesota]] ([[M.S.|MS]])
* [[California Institute of Technology]] ([[PhD]]) }}
| known_for        = [[Indian space programme]]
| awards            = [[Padma Bhushan]](1971)
[[Padma Vibhushan]](1981)
| module            =
{{Infobox scientist
{{Infobox scientist
|name = Satish Dhawan
| embed            = yes
|image = Satish Dhawan.jpg
| field             = [[Mechanical Engineering|Mechanical]] and [[aerospace Engineering]]
|image_size =
| work_institution = [[Indian Space Research Organisation]]<br>[[Indian Institute of Science]]<br>[[California Institute of Technology]]<br>[[National Aerospace Laboratories]]
|caption =
| thesis_title     = Direct Measurements of Skin Friction
|birth_date = {{birth date|1920|9|25|df=y}}
| thesis_year       = 1951
|birth_place = [[Srinagar]], [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[British India]]<br>(now in [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[India]])
| doctoral_advisor = [[Hans W. Liepmann]]
|death_date = {{death date and age|2002|01|03|1920|9|25|df=y}}
| doctoral_students =  
|death_place = [[Bangalore]], [[Karnataka]], [[India]]
| signature         = [[File:Satish Dhawan Signature.png|200px]]
|field = [[Mechanical Engineering|Mechanical]] and [[aerospace Engineering]]
|work_institution = [[Indian Space Research Organisation]]<br>[[Indian Institute of Science]]<br>[[California Institute of Technology]]<br>[[National Aerospace Laboratories]]  
|alma_mater = {{Plainlist| 
* [[University of Punjab]] ([[B.A.|BA]], [[M.A.|MA]], [[B.E.|BE]])
* [[University of Minnesota]] ([[M.S.|MS]])
* [[California Institute of Technology]] ([[PhD]]) }} 
|thesis_title = Direct Measurements of Skin Friction  
|thesis_year = 1951
|doctoral_advisor = [[Hans W. Liepmann]]
|doctoral_students =  
|known_for  = [[Indian space programme]]
|prizes = [[Padma Vibhushan]]
|signature = [[File:Satish Dhawan Signature.png|200px]]
}}
}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| title = [[Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation|Chairman]], [[Indian Space Research Organisation]]
| term_start = 1972
| term_end = 1984
| predecessor = [[M. G. K. Menon]]
| successor = [[Udupi Ramachandra Rao]]
}}
}}
'''Satish Dhawan''' (25 September 1920&nbsp;– 3 January 2002) was an Indian [[mathematician]] and [[aerospace engineer]], widely regarded as the father of experimental [[fluid dynamics]] research in India. Born in [[Srinagar]], Dhawan was educated in India and further on in United States. Dhawan was one of the most eminent researchers in the field of [[turbulence]] and [[boundary layers]], leading the successful and indigenous development of the Indian space programme. He succeeded [[M. G. K. Menon]], as the third chairman of the [[Indian Space Research Organisation]] (ISRO) in 1972.
 
'''Satish Dhawan''' (25 September 1920&nbsp;– 3 January 2002) was an Indian [[mathematician]] and [[Aerospace engineering|aerospace engineer]]. He served as the chairman of [[ISRO]] from 1972 to 1984 and is often regarded as the father of experimental [[fluid dynamics]] research in India.
 
Born in [[Srinagar]], Dhawan was educated in India and further on in United States. Dhawan was one of the most eminent researchers in the field of [[turbulence]] and [[boundary layers]], leading the successful and indigenous development of the Indian space programme.The [[Satish Dhawan Space Centre|second launch pad]] of ISRO, [[Satish Dhawan Space Centre]] is named after him. He is greatly regarded as the man behind [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]].{{cn|date=February 2024}}
 
== Early life ==
Dhawan was born on 25 September 1920 in [[Srinagar]] in the princely state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] (present-day [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[India]]). His father, Devi Dayal Dhawan, had migrated from [[Dera Ismail Khan]] to Srinagar.<ref>{{cite web |title=My Father, Satish Dhawan |url=https://connect.iisc.ac.in/2017/08/father-satish-dhawan/ |website=Indian Institute of Science |access-date=21 June 2020}}</ref>
 
Satish Dhawan grew up in Srinagar and Lahore. His father, [[Rao Bahadur|Rai Bahadur]] Devi Dayal, was an MSc and LLB who joined the Punjab Civil Service and later became a sessions and district judge.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Rajesh Kochhar |last2=Arun Grover |date=4 November 2020 |title=How Punjab did its bit for space programme |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/how-punjab-did-its-bit-for-space-programme-165696 |access-date=3 July 2024 |website=[[The Tribune (India)|The Tribune]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Puri |first=Baij Nath |author-link=Baij Nath Puri |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ytuAAAAMAAJ&q=Satish+Dhawan |title=The Khatris, a Socio-cultural Study |date=1988 |publisher=M.N. Publishers and Distributors |pages=129 |language=en}}</ref>


== Education ==
== Education ==
Dhawan was a graduate of the [[University of the Punjab]] in [[Lahore]], [[India]] (now in [[Pakistan]]), where he completed a [[Bachelor of Science]] in physics and mathematics, a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and a [[Master of Arts]] in English literature. In 1947, he completed a [[Master of Science]] degree in [[aerospace engineering]] from the [[University of Minnesota, Minneapolis]], and an aeronautical engineering degree from the [[California Institute of Technology]] followed by a double PhD in mathematics and aerospace engineering under the supervision of his advisor [[Hans W. Liepmann]] in 1951.
Dhawan was a graduate of what is now called [[Punjab Engineering College]] in the city of Chandigarh in India, the [[Mughalpura Technical College]] in [[Lahore, Pakistan]], [[British Indian Empire|British India]], where he completed a [[Bachelor of Science]] in physics and mathematics, a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and a [[Master of Arts]] in English literature. In 1947, he completed a [[Master of Science]] degree in [[aerospace engineering]] from the [[University of Minnesota, Minneapolis]], and an aeronautical engineering degree from the [[California Institute of Technology]] followed by a double PhD in mathematics and aerospace engineering under the supervision of his advisor [[Hans W. Liepmann]] in 1951.{{cn|date=February 2024}}


== Leadership in space research ==
== Leadership in space research ==
{{main|Indian Space Research Organisation}}
{{main|Indian Space Research Organisation}}
In 1972 Dr Dhawan became chairman of the [[Indian Space Research Organisation]] (ISRO) and secretary to the [[Government of India]] at the [[Department of Space]].
In 1972, Dhawan became chairman of the [[Indian Space Research Organisation]] (ISRO) and [[Secretary to the Government of India|secretary to the]] [[Government of India]] at the [[Department of Space]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=7 November 2019 |title=Satish Dhawan: Pioneer of India’s space journey |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/inspiring-lives/satish-dhawan-pioneer-of-india-s-space-journey/story-0aW9z1b4TzYmW3wLL09XtL.html |access-date=14 April 2025 |website=Hindustan Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=4 January 2002 |title=Satish Dhawan, Former Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman, has died |url=https://spacenews.com/satish-dhawan-former-indian-space-research-organisation-chairman-has-died/ |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=SpaceNews}}</ref>


[[APJ Abdul Kalam]] explained that in 1979 when he was the director of a [[Satellite Launch Vehicle]], the mission failed to launch the satellite in the orbit. Instead, it was put into [[Bay of Bengal]]. Abdul Kalam's team knew that there was a leakage in the fuel of the system, but they hoped that the leakage was negligible, and thus they thought there was enough fuel in the system. This miscalculation lead to the failure. Satish Dhawan, being the chairman at the time, called Abdul Kalam and conveyed to the press; "We failed! But I have very strong trust in my team and I believe that next time we will definitely succeed". This surprised Abdul Kalam, as the blame of the failure was taken by the chairman of ISRO. The next mission was prepared and launched successfully in 1980. When this succeeded, Satish Dhawan told Abdul Kalam to attend the press meet without his presence. It was observed that when the team failed, he took the blame. But when the team succeeded, he attributed the success to his team, thus portraying the picture of an ideal leader.
[[APJ Abdul Kalam]] explained that in 1979 when he was the director of a [[Satellite Launch Vehicle]], the mission failed to launch the satellite in the orbit. Instead, it was put into the [[Bay of Bengal]]. Abdul Kalam's team knew that there was a leakage in the fuel of the system, but they hoped that the leakage was negligible, and thus they thought there was enough fuel in the system. This miscalculation led to the mission's failure. Satish Dhawan, being the chairman at the time, called Abdul Kalam and conveyed to the press; "We failed! But I have very strong trust in my team and I believe that next time we will definitely succeed". This surprised Abdul Kalam, as the blame of the failure was taken by the chairman of ISRO. The next mission was prepared and launched successfully in 1980. When this succeeded, Satish Dhawan told Abdul Kalam to attend the press meet without his presence. It was observed that when the team failed, he took the blame. But when the team succeeded, he attributed the success to his team, thus portraying the picture of an ideal leader.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}


Satish Dhawan was chairman of [[Indian Space Research Organisation|ISRO]] until 1984.
Satish Dhawan was chairman of ISRO until 1984.<ref name=":0" />


== Director, IISc (1962–1981) ==
== Director, IISc (1962–1981) ==
Dhawan joined as faculty at the [[Indian Institute of Science]] (IISc), [[Bangalore]], in 1951 and became its director in 1962. Although he was the head of the [[Indian Space Research Organisation|Indian space programme]], he devoted substantial efforts towards boundary layer research. His most important contributions are presented in the seminal book ''Boundary Layer Theory'' by [[Hermann Schlichting]]. He set up the country's first [[supersonic wind tunnel]] at IISc. He also pioneered research on relaminarization of separated boundary layer flows, three-dimensional boundary layers and [[trisonic]] flows.<ref>{{cite web |title=Satish Dhawan : Legends of GALCIT |url=http://www.galcit.caltech.edu/about/dhawan |access-date=27 April 2020}}</ref>
In 1951, Dhawan joined as faculty at the [[Indian Institute of Science]] (IISc), [[Bangalore]] and became its director in 1962. Although he was the head of the [[Indian Space Research Organisation|Indian space programme]], he devoted substantial efforts towards boundary layer research. His most important contributions are presented in the seminal book ''Boundary Layer Theory'' by [[Hermann Schlichting]]. He set up the country's first [[supersonic wind tunnel]] at IISc. He also pioneered research on relaminarization of separated boundary layer flows, three-dimensional boundary layers and [[trisonic]] flows.<ref>{{cite web |title=Satish Dhawan : Legends of GALCIT |url=http://www.galcit.caltech.edu/about/dhawan |access-date=27 April 2020}}</ref>


== Support of space research ==
== Support of space research ==
Dhawan carried out pioneering experiments in rural education, [[remote sensing]] and [[satellite]] communications. His efforts led to operational systems like [[Indian National Satellite System|INSAT]], a telecommunications satellite; [[Indian Remote Sensing satellite|IRS]], the Indian Remote Sensing satellite; and the [[Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle]] (PSLV), that placed [[India]] in the league of space faring nations.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}
Dhawan carried out pioneering experiments in rural education, [[remote sensing]] and [[satellite]] communications. His work resulted in operational systems including [[Indian National Satellite System|INSAT]], a telecommunications satellite; [[Indian Remote Sensing satellite|IRS]], an Indian Remote Sensing satellite; and the [[Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle]] (PSLV), which established India as a space-faring country.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 September 2017 |title=Remembering Satish Dhawan, the man responsible for revolutionising India's space program |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/satish-dhawan-1051808-2017-09-25 |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=India Today}}</ref>


== Honours ==
== Honours ==
Dhawan died on 3 January 2002 in [[Bangalore]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Satish Dhawan passes away|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2002/01/05/stories/2002010501711300.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20160611031656/http://www.thehindu.com/2002/01/05/stories/2002010501711300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 June 2016|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=2002-01-05|access-date=3 January 2018}}</ref> Following his death, the satellite launch centre at [[Sriharikota]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], located about 100&nbsp;km north of [[Chennai]] in South India, was renamed to the [[Satish Dhawan Space Centre]]. [[Satish Chander Dhawan Government College For Boys]] is named after him.  
Dhawan died on 3 January 2002 in [[Bangalore]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Satish Dhawan passes away|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2002/01/05/stories/2002010501711300.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20160611031656/http://www.thehindu.com/2002/01/05/stories/2002010501711300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 June 2016|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=2002-01-05|access-date=3 January 2018}}</ref> In honor of his contributions, the satellite launch center in [[Sriharikota|Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh]], was renamed the Satish Dhawan Space Centre following his death. [[Satish Chander Dhawan Government College For Boys]] in [[Ludhiana]] is named after him.The Department of Mechanical Engineering Building at the [[IIT Ropar|Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar]] is also named in his honor as the Satish Dhawan Block. In 2019, the [[Uttar Pradesh Textile Technology Institute]] in Kanpur named its computer center the Prof. Satish Dhawan Computer Centre.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}
Department of Mechanical Engineering Building at [[Indian Institute of Technology Ropar]] is also named after him as Satish Dhawan Block, [[IIT Ropar]].


== Career ==
== Career ==
*[[Indian Institute of Science]], [[Bangalore]]
*[[Indian Institute of Science]], [[Bangalore]]
:*Senior Scientific Officer, 1951
:*Senior scientific officer, 1951
:*Professor and Head of the Department of [[Aeronautical Engineering]], 1955
:*Professor and head of the Department of [[Aeronautical Engineering]], 1955
:*Director, 1962–1981<ref>{{cite web|title=About IISc Heritage|url=http://www.iisc.ernet.in/about-iisc/heritage.php|publisher=[[Indian Institute of Science]]|access-date=13 September 2013}}</ref>
:*Director, 1962–1981<ref>{{cite web|title=About IISc Heritage|url=http://www.iisc.ernet.in/about-iisc/heritage.php|publisher=[[Indian Institute of Science]]|access-date=13 September 2013|archive-date=15 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130815174415/http://www.iisc.ernet.in/about-iisc/heritage.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*[[California Institute of Technology]], US
*[[California Institute of Technology]], US
:*Visiting Professor, 1971–72
:*Visiting Professor, 1971–72
Line 72: Line 84:


== Awards ==
== Awards ==
*[[Padma Vibhushan]] (India's second highest civilian honour), 1981<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web | url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf | title=Padma Awards | publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India | date=2015 | access-date=21 July 2015 | archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6U68ulwpb?url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf | archive-date=15 November 2014 | url-status=live }}</ref>
*[[Padma Vibhushan]] (India's second highest civilian honour), 1981<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web | url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf | title=Padma Awards | publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India | date=2015 | access-date=21 July 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf | archive-date=15 October 2015 | url-status=live }}</ref>
*[[Padma Bhushan]] (India's third highest civilian honour), 1971<ref name="Padma Awards" />
*[[Padma Bhushan]] (India's third highest civilian honour), 1971<ref name="Padma Awards" />
*Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration, 1999
*Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration, 1999
Line 79: Line 91:


== Personal life ==
== Personal life ==
Satish Dhawan was born on 25 September 1920 in [[Srinagar]] in the state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[India]], in a [[Punjabis|Punjabi]] family. His father came from [[Dera Ismail Khan]],<ref>{{cite web |title=My Father, Satish Dhawan |url=https://connect.iisc.ac.in/2017/08/father-satish-dhawan/ |website=Indian Institute of Science |access-date=21 June 2020}}</ref> and Satish Dhawan grew up in Lahore and Kashmir. He was married to Nalini Dhawan, a cytogeneticist, and his daughter [[Jyotsna Dhawan]] is serving as Senior Principal Scientist in the [[Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology]].
He was married to Nalini Dhawan, a cytogeneticist, and his daughter [[Jyotsna Dhawan]] is serving as senior principal scientist in the [[Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology]].


== Works ==
== Works ==
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== External links ==
== External links ==
{{Sister project links| wikt=no | commons=no | b=no | n=no | q=no | s=no | v=no | voy=no | species=no | d=q325393}}
* {{MathGenealogy|id=119247}}
* {{MathGenealogy|id=119247}}
* [https://www.ias.ac.in/Publications/e-Books/Bird_Flight Bird Flight by Satish Dhawan] (2nd edition, 2020)
{{s-start}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-gov}}
{{s-gov}}
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{{end}}
{{end}}


{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Science & Engineering}}
{{1900s Padma Shri Award Recipients in Science & Engineering}}
{{Padma Vibhushan Awards}}
{{Padma Vibhushan Awards}}
{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 1970–79}}
{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 1970–79}}
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[[Category:Space programme of India]]
[[Category:Space programme of India]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in science & engineering]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in science & engineering]]
[[Category:Indian Space Research Organisation people]]
[[Category:ISRO people]]
[[Category:University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering alumni]]
[[Category:University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering alumni]]
[[Category:Indian fluid dynamicists]]
[[Category:Indian fluid dynamicists]]
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[[Category:Indian aerospace engineers]]
[[Category:Indian aerospace engineers]]
[[Category:Directors of the Indian Institute of Science]]
[[Category:Directors of the Indian Institute of Science]]
[[Category:Indian Institute of Science faculty]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in science & engineering]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in science & engineering]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian engineers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian engineers]]
[[Category:Engineers from Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Engineers from Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian physicists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian physicists]]
[[Category:Fluid dynamicists]]
[[Category:Om Prakash Bhasin Award recipients]]

Latest revision as of 23:06, 22 March 2026


Satish Dhawan
Official Portrait
3rd Chairman of ISRO
In office
1972–1984
Preceded byM. G. K. Menon
Succeeded byUdupi Ramachandra Rao
Personal details
Born(1920-09-25)25 September 1920
Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, British India
(Present-day Jammu and Kashmir, India)
Died3 January 2002(2002-01-03) (aged 81)
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Alma mater
Known forIndian space programme
AwardsPadma Bhushan(1971) Padma Vibhushan(1981)
Scientific career
FieldsMechanical and aerospace Engineering
InstitutionsIndian Space Research Organisation
Indian Institute of Science
California Institute of Technology
National Aerospace Laboratories
ThesisDirect Measurements of Skin Friction (1951)
Doctoral advisorHans W. Liepmann
Signature
2=

Satish Dhawan (25 September 1920 – 3 January 2002) was an Indian mathematician and aerospace engineer. He served as the chairman of ISRO from 1972 to 1984 and is often regarded as the father of experimental fluid dynamics research in India.

Born in Srinagar, Dhawan was educated in India and further on in United States. Dhawan was one of the most eminent researchers in the field of turbulence and boundary layers, leading the successful and indigenous development of the Indian space programme.The second launch pad of ISRO, Satish Dhawan Space Centre is named after him. He is greatly regarded as the man behind A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.[citation needed]

Early life[edit | edit source]

Dhawan was born on 25 September 1920 in Srinagar in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir (present-day Jammu and Kashmir, India). His father, Devi Dayal Dhawan, had migrated from Dera Ismail Khan to Srinagar.[1]

Satish Dhawan grew up in Srinagar and Lahore. His father, Rai Bahadur Devi Dayal, was an MSc and LLB who joined the Punjab Civil Service and later became a sessions and district judge.[2][3]

Education[edit | edit source]

Dhawan was a graduate of what is now called Punjab Engineering College in the city of Chandigarh in India, the Mughalpura Technical College in Lahore, Pakistan, British India, where he completed a Bachelor of Science in physics and mathematics, a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Arts in English literature. In 1947, he completed a Master of Science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and an aeronautical engineering degree from the California Institute of Technology followed by a double PhD in mathematics and aerospace engineering under the supervision of his advisor Hans W. Liepmann in 1951.[citation needed]

Leadership in space research[edit | edit source]

Main article: Indian Space Research Organisation

In 1972, Dhawan became chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and secretary to the Government of India at the Department of Space.[4][5]

APJ Abdul Kalam explained that in 1979 when he was the director of a Satellite Launch Vehicle, the mission failed to launch the satellite in the orbit. Instead, it was put into the Bay of Bengal. Abdul Kalam's team knew that there was a leakage in the fuel of the system, but they hoped that the leakage was negligible, and thus they thought there was enough fuel in the system. This miscalculation led to the mission's failure. Satish Dhawan, being the chairman at the time, called Abdul Kalam and conveyed to the press; "We failed! But I have very strong trust in my team and I believe that next time we will definitely succeed". This surprised Abdul Kalam, as the blame of the failure was taken by the chairman of ISRO. The next mission was prepared and launched successfully in 1980. When this succeeded, Satish Dhawan told Abdul Kalam to attend the press meet without his presence. It was observed that when the team failed, he took the blame. But when the team succeeded, he attributed the success to his team, thus portraying the picture of an ideal leader.[citation needed]

Satish Dhawan was chairman of ISRO until 1984.[4]

Director, IISc (1962–1981)[edit | edit source]

In 1951, Dhawan joined as faculty at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore and became its director in 1962. Although he was the head of the Indian space programme, he devoted substantial efforts towards boundary layer research. His most important contributions are presented in the seminal book Boundary Layer Theory by Hermann Schlichting. He set up the country's first supersonic wind tunnel at IISc. He also pioneered research on relaminarization of separated boundary layer flows, three-dimensional boundary layers and trisonic flows.[6]

Support of space research[edit | edit source]

Dhawan carried out pioneering experiments in rural education, remote sensing and satellite communications. His work resulted in operational systems including INSAT, a telecommunications satellite; IRS, an Indian Remote Sensing satellite; and the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), which established India as a space-faring country.[7]

Honours[edit | edit source]

Dhawan died on 3 January 2002 in Bangalore.[8] In honor of his contributions, the satellite launch center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, was renamed the Satish Dhawan Space Centre following his death. Satish Chander Dhawan Government College For Boys in Ludhiana is named after him.The Department of Mechanical Engineering Building at the Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar is also named in his honor as the Satish Dhawan Block. In 2019, the Uttar Pradesh Textile Technology Institute in Kanpur named its computer center the Prof. Satish Dhawan Computer Centre.[citation needed]

Career[edit | edit source]

  • Visiting Professor, 1971–72
  • Chairman, Research council, 1984–93
  • President, 1977–1979
  • Chairman, 1972–1984
  • Indian Space Commission
  • Chairman, 1972–2002

Awards[edit | edit source]

Personal life[edit | edit source]

He was married to Nalini Dhawan, a cytogeneticist, and his daughter Jyotsna Dhawan is serving as senior principal scientist in the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology.

Works[edit | edit source]

  • 1953: "Direct measurements of skin friction", Technical Report 1121, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington DC.
  • 1958; "Some properties of boundary layer flow during the transition from laminar to turbulent motion", Journal of Fluid Mechanics 3(4): 418 – 36 doi:10.1017/S0022112058000094
  • 1967: "Aeronautical Research in India", (22nd British Commonwealth Lecture), Journal of the Royal Aeronautical Society 71: 149-184.
  • 1982: "A glimpse of fluid mechanics research in Bangalore 25 years ago", in India: Surveys in fluid mechanics, Indian Academy of Sciences (Eds. R Narasimha, S M Deshpande) 1-15.
  • 1988: Developments in Fluid Mechanics and Space Technology, (Eds. R Narasimha, APJ Abdul Kalam) Indian Academy of Sciences.
  • 1991: "Bird flight", Sadhana Proceedings in Engineering Sciences, Indian Academy of Sciences.
  • 2000: Special Section on Instabilities, transitions and turbulence, (Ed. R Narasimha) Current Science 79: 725-883.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "My Father, Satish Dhawan". Indian Institute of Science. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  2. ↑ Rajesh Kochhar; Arun Grover (4 November 2020). "How Punjab did its bit for space programme". The Tribune. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  3. ↑ Puri, Baij Nath (1988). The Khatris, a Socio-cultural Study. M.N. Publishers and Distributors. p. 129.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Satish Dhawan: Pioneer of India's space journey". Hindustan Times. 7 November 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
  5. ↑ "Satish Dhawan, Former Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman, has died". SpaceNews. 4 January 2002. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  6. ↑ "Satish Dhawan : Legends of GALCIT". Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  7. ↑ "Remembering Satish Dhawan, the man responsible for revolutionising India's space program". India Today. 25 September 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  8. ↑ "Satish Dhawan passes away". The Hindu. 5 January 2002. Retrieved 3 January 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  9. ↑ "About IISc Heritage". Indian Institute of Science. Archived from the original on 15 August 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.

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Preceded by
M. G. K. Menon 		ISRO Chairman
1972–1984 		Succeeded by
U. R. Rao

Template:1900s Padma Shri Award Recipients in Science & Engineering

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