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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
{{Infobox officeholder
| title1              = [[Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation|Chairman]] of [[Indian National Committee for Space Research]] and [[Indian Space Research Organisation]]
| title1              = 1st [[Chairperson of ISRO]]
| term_start1          = 1963
| term_start1        = 1969
| term_end1            = 1971
| term_end1          = 1971
| predecessor1        = Position established
| predecessor1        = ''Position established''
| successor1          = [[M.G.K.Menon]]
| successor1          = [[M. G. K. Menon]]
| title2            = [[Atomic Energy Commission of India#History|Chairperson of the Atomic Energy Commission of India]]
| title2              = [[Chairman]] of the [[Indian National Committee for Space Research|Indian National Committee for<br /> Space Research]]
| term_start2 = 1966
| term_start2        = 1963
| term_end2 = 1971
| term_end2          = 1969
| predecessor2 = [[Homi J. Bhabha]]
| predecessor2        = ''Position established''
| successor2 = [[H.N. Sethna]]    
| successor2          = ''Position abolished''
| title3              = [[Atomic Energy Commission of India#History|Chairperson of the Atomic Energy Commission of India]]
| term_start3        = 1966
| term_end3          = 1971
| predecessor3        = [[Homi J. Bhabha]]
| successor3          = [[H.N. Sethna]]
| name                = Vikram Sarabhai
| name                = Vikram Sarabhai
| birth_name          = Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai
| birth_name          = Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai
| image              = Vikram Sarabhai.jpg
| image              = Dr Vikram Sarabhai ISRO.webp
| caption            = Sarabhai in 1971
| caption            = Official portrait of Dr Vikram Sarabhai  
| birth_date          = {{birth date|1919|8|12|df=y}}{{Sfn|Shah|2016|loc=Chapter 1}}
| birth_date          = {{birth date|1919|8|12|df=y}}<ref name=Shah2007/>
| birth_place        = [[Ahmedabad]],<br/>[[Bombay Presidency]],<br/>[[British India]]<br/>(now in [[Gujarat]], [[India]])
| birth_place        = [[Ahmedabad]],<br/>[[Bombay Presidency]],<br/>[[British India]]<br/>(now in [[Gujarat]], [[India]])
| death_date          = {{death date and age|1971|12|30|1919|8|12|df=y}}
| death_date          = {{death date and age|1971|12|30|1919|8|12|df=y}}
| death_place        = [[Halcyon Castle]], [[Trivandrum]] (now [[Thiruvananthapuram]]), [[Kerala]], [[India]]
| death_place        = [[Halcyon Castle]], [[Trivandrum]] (now [[Thiruvananthapuram]]), [[Kerala]], [[India]]
| spouse              = [[Mrinalini Sarabhai]]
| spouse              = [[Mrinalini Sarabhai]] (m.1942; died.2016)
| children            = [[Mallika Sarabhai]] (daughter)
| children            = [[Mallika Sarabhai]] (daughter)
<br />[[Kartikeya Sarabhai]] (son)
<br />[[Kartikeya Sarabhai]] (son)
Line 30: Line 35:
| work_institution  = [[Indian Space Research Organisation]]<br />[[Physical Research Laboratory]]
| work_institution  = [[Indian Space Research Organisation]]<br />[[Physical Research Laboratory]]
| residence        =  
| residence        =  
| alma_mater        = [[University of Cambridge]] ([[B.A.|BA]], [[PhD]])
| alma_mater        = [[University of Cambridge]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]], [[PhD]])
| doctoral_advisor  = [[C. V. Raman]]
| doctoral_advisor  = [[C. V. Raman]]
| doctoral_students = [[Udupi Ramachandra Rao]]
| doctoral_students = [[Udupi Ramachandra Rao]]
Line 38: Line 43:
}}
}}


'''Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai''' (12 August 1919&nbsp;– 30 December 1971) was an Indian [[physicist]] and [[astronomer]] who initiated [[space research]] and helped develop [[nuclear power]] in India.  
'''Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai''' (12 August 1919&nbsp;– 30 December 1971) was an Indian [[physicist]] and [[astronomer]] who initiated [[space research]] and helped to develop [[nuclear power]] in India. Often regarded as the "''Father of Indian space program''",<ref>{{cite web |title=Dr. Vikram Sarabhai |url=https://www.mcf.gov.in/website/sarabhai |website=Master Control facility - Department Of Space - Government Of India |access-date=16 June 2024}}</ref> Sarabhai was honored with [[Padma Bhushan]] in 1966 and the [[Padma Vibhushan]] (posthumously) in 1972.


He was honoured with [[Padma Bhushan]] in 1966 and the [[Padma Vibhushan]] (posthumously) in 1972.
==Early life and education==
 
==Personal life==
[[File:Vikrambhai and amma .jpg|thumb|Vikram and Mrinalini Sarabhai (1948)|alt=|263x263px]]
[[File:Vikrambhai and amma .jpg|thumb|Vikram and Mrinalini Sarabhai (1948)|alt=|263x263px]]
Son of [[Ambalal Sarabhai]], he came from the famous [[Sarabhai family]] from India who were major industrialists committed to the [[Indian independence movement]]. Vikram Sarabhai married the classical dancer [[Mrinalini Sarabhai|Mrinalini]] in 1942. The couple had two children. His daughter [[Mallika Sarabhai|Mallika]] gained prominence as an actress and activist, and his son [[Kartikeya Sarabhai|Kartikeya]] too became an active person in science. During his lifetime, he practiced [[Jainism]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Jains steal the show with 7 Padmas|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Jains-steal-the-show-with-7-Padmas/articleshow/46856659.cms|website=The times of India|access-date=9 December 2015|publisher=[[Times of India]]|date=9 April 2015|quote=The Jain community has always nurtured exceptional talent whether it is eminent scientist Vikram Sarabhai, who is considered the father of the country's space program, or poet, thinker and spiritual leader Banarsidas who composed the magnum opus Ardhakathanaka, the first-ever autobiography in Hindi literature.}}</ref> He attended [[Gujarat College]], Ahmedabad, but later moved to the [[University of Cambridge]], England, where he took his [[tripos]] in natural sciences in 1940.<ref name="vikram_education"/> In 1945 he returned to Cambridge to pursue his [[PhD]] and wrote a thesis, "Cosmic Ray Investigations in Tropical Latitudes", in 1947.<ref name="vikram_education">{{cite web|last=Goyal|first=Shikha|date=12 August 2019|title=Vikram Sarabhai founder of ISRO 100th Birthday: All you need to know|url=https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/vikram-sarabhai-1565439068-1|url-status=live|access-date=12 August 2019|website=Jagran Josh}}</ref>
Vikram Sarabhai was born on 12 August 1919 in a [[Gujarati people|Gujarati]] [[Śvetāmbara]] [[Shrimal Jain|Shrimali]] [[Jainism|Jain]] family, in [[Ahmedabad]], India.<ref>{{Cite book |last=AMRITA SHAH |url=https://archive.org/details/VikramSarabhai-ALife/page/n8/mode/1up |title=VIKRAM SARABHAI - A LIFE |language=Sanskrit}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=formerchairman |url=https://www.isro.gov.in/sarabhaiformer.html#:~:text=Vikram%20Sarabhai%20was%20born%20on,owned%20many%20mills%20in%20Gujarat. |access-date=2024-08-18 |website=www.isro.gov.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-04-09 |title=Jains steal the show with 7 Padmas |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/jains-steal-the-show-with-7-padmas/articleshow/46856659.cms |access-date=2024-08-18 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> His father was [[Ambalal Sarabhai]], a major industrialist committed to the [[Indian independence movement]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Entrepreneurship and Industry in India, 1800-1947|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4ba7AAAAIAAJ|page=44|year=1992|publisher=Oxford University Press| isbn=978-0-19-562806-7 |quote=The Sarabhais and the Lalbhais, the town's two most prominent entrepreneurial families, were Banias prominent as shroffs.}}</ref><ref name=Shah2007>{{Cite book |last=Shah |first=Amrita |title=Amrita Shah - Vikram Sarabhai - A Life |publisher=Penguin |year=2007 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vIM_DAAAQBAJ|isbn=9780670999514 |pages=97 |language=en}}</ref>


==Professional life==
==Professional life==
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Known as the cradle of space sciences in India, the [[Physical Research Laboratory]] (PRL) was founded in 1947 by Vikram Sarabhai.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=R.|first=Parthasarathy|date=April 3, 2003|title=Vikram Sarabhai (1919-1971): Architect of Indian space programme|url=https://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/seta/2003/04/03/stories/2003040300100300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030518211014/http://thehindu.com/thehindu/seta/2003/04/03/stories/2003040300100300.htm|archive-date=May 18, 2003|access-date=2019-08-10|website=The Hindu}}</ref> PRL had a modest beginning at his residence, the "RETREAT", with research on [[cosmic rays]].
Known as the cradle of space sciences in India, the [[Physical Research Laboratory]] (PRL) was founded in 1947 by Vikram Sarabhai.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=R.|first=Parthasarathy|date=April 3, 2003|title=Vikram Sarabhai (1919-1971): Architect of Indian space programme|url=https://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/seta/2003/04/03/stories/2003040300100300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030518211014/http://thehindu.com/thehindu/seta/2003/04/03/stories/2003040300100300.htm|archive-date=May 18, 2003|access-date=2019-08-10|website=The Hindu}}</ref> PRL had a modest beginning at his residence, the "RETREAT", with research on [[cosmic rays]].


The institute was formally established at the M.G. Science Institute, Ahmedabad, on 11 November 1947<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.prl.res.in/website_english15/about/hist.php | title=BRIEF HISTORY | access-date=28 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408134414/https://www.prl.res.in/website_english15/about/hist.php | archive-date=8 April 2016 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all |publisher=Physical Research Laboratory, Department of Space, Government of India}}</ref> with support from the Karmkshetra Educational Foundation and the [[Ahmedabad Education Society]]. [[Kalpathi Ramakrishna Ramanathan]] was the first Director of the institute. The initial focus was research on [[cosmic rays]] and the [[Physical property|properties]] of the [[upper atmosphere]]. Research areas were expanded to include [[theoretical physics]] and [[radio physics]] later with grants from the Atomic Energy Commission.
The institute was formally established at the M.G. Science Institute, Ahmedabad, on 11 November 1947<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.prl.res.in/website_english15/about/hist.php | title=BRIEF HISTORY | access-date=28 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408134414/https://www.prl.res.in/website_english15/about/hist.php | archive-date=8 April 2016 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all |publisher=Physical Research Laboratory, Department of Space, Government of India}}</ref> with support from the Karmkshetra Educational Foundation and the [[Ahmedabad Education Society]]. [[Kalpathi Ramakrishna Ramanathan]] was the first director of the institute. The initial focus was research on [[cosmic rays]] and the [[Physical property|properties]] of the [[upper atmosphere]]. Research areas were expanded to include [[theoretical physics]] and [[radio physics]] later with grants from the Atomic Energy Commission.
He led the Sarabhai family-owned business conglomerate.
He led the Sarabhai family-owned business conglomerate.


His interests varied from science to sports to statistics. He set up the Operations Research Group (ORG), the first market research organization in the country. Most notable among the many institutes he helped set up are the [[Nehru Foundation for Development]] in [[Ahmedabad]], the [[Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad]] (IIMA), the [[Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association]] (ATIRA) and the (CEPT). Along with his wife [[Mrinalini Sarabhai]], he founded the [[Darpana Academy of Performing Arts]]. Other projects and institutions initiated or established by him include the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) in [[Kalpakkam]], Variable Energy Cyclotron Project in [[Calcutta]], [[Electronics Corporation of India Limited]] (ECIL) in [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]] and Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) in Jaduguda, [[Jharkhand]].
His interests varied from science to sports to statistics. He set up the Operations Research Group (ORG), the first market research organization in the country. Most notable among the many institutes he helped set up are the [[Nehru Foundation for Development]] in [[Ahmedabad]], the [[Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad]] (IIMA), and the [[Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association]] (ATIRA). Along with his wife [[Mrinalini Sarabhai]], he founded the [[Darpana Academy of Performing Arts]]. Other projects and institutions initiated or established by him include the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) in [[Kalpakkam]], Variable Energy Cyclotron Project in [[Calcutta]], [[Electronics Corporation of India Limited]] (ECIL) in [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]] and Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) in Jaduguda, [[Jharkhand]].
Sarabhai started a project for the fabrication and launch of an Indian satellite. As a result, the first Indian satellite, [[Aryabhata (satellite)|Aryabhata]], was put in orbit in 1975 from a Russian [[cosmodrome]].<ref name=":0" /> He was the founder of [[ISRO|Indian Space Research Organisation]].
Sarabhai started a project for the fabrication and launch of an Indian satellite. As a result, the first Indian satellite, [[Aryabhata (satellite)|Aryabhata]], was put in orbit in 1975 from a Russian [[cosmodrome]].<ref name=":0" /> He was the founder of [[ISRO|Indian Space Research Organisation]].


==Death==
==Death==
On 30 December 1971, Sarabhai was to review the SLV design before his departure for [[Bombay]] the same night. He had spoken to [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]] on the telephone. Within an hour of the conversation, Sarabhai died at the age of 52 due to [[cardiac arrest]] in Trivandrum (now [[Thiruvananthapuram]]). His body was cremated in [[Ahmedabad]].
On 30 December 1971, Sarabhai was to review the SLV design before his departure for [[Bombay|Mumbai]] the same night. He had spoken to [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]] on the telephone. Within an hour into the conversation, Sarabhai suffered a fatal cardiac arrest at the age of 52 in [[Trivandrum]]. His body was cremated in [[Ahmedabad]].
 
== Personal life ==
Vikram Sarabhai married the classical dancer [[Mrinalini Sarabhai|Mrinalini]] on 3 September 1942. The couple had two children. His daughter [[Mallika Sarabhai|Mallika]] gained prominence as an actress and activist, and his son [[Kartikeya Sarabhai|Kartikeya]] too became an active person in science.  He attended [[Gujarat College]], Ahmedabad, but later moved to the [[University of Cambridge]], England, where he took his [[tripos]] in natural sciences in 1940.<ref name="vikram_education">{{cite web |last=Goyal |first=Shikha |date=12 August 2019 |title=Vikram Sarabhai founder of ISRO 100th Birthday: All you need to know |url=https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/vikram-sarabhai-1565439068-1 |access-date=12 August 2019 |website=Jagran Josh}}</ref> In 1945, he returned to Cambridge to pursue his [[PhD]] and wrote a thesis, "Cosmic Ray Investigations in Tropical Latitudes", in 1947.<ref name="vikram_education" />


==Distinguished positions==
==Distinguished positions==
*President of the Physics section, [[Indian Science Congress]] (1962)
*President of the Physics section,[[Indian Science Congress]] (1962)
*President of the General Conference of the [[I.A.E.A.]], [[Vienna]] (1970)
*President of the General Conference of the [[I.A.E.A.]], [[Vienna]] (1970)
*Chairman of the [[Atomic Energy Commission of India]] (1966–1971)<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/archives/from-the-archives-may-23-1969-sarabhai-assails-faltering-nuclear-policy/article27210262.ece|title=From the Archives (May 23, 1969): Sarabhai assails faltering nuclear policy|date=2019-05-23|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-08-10|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dae.nic.in/writereaddata/chmnaec.pdf|title=Former Chairmen of Atomic Energy Commission|date=2012-06-05|website=Government of India Department of Atomic Energy|access-date=2019-08-10}}</ref>
*Chairman of the [[Atomic Energy Commission of India]] (1966–1971)<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/archives/from-the-archives-may-23-1969-sarabhai-assails-faltering-nuclear-policy/article27210262.ece|title=From the Archives (May 23, 1969): Sarabhai assails faltering nuclear policy|date=2019-05-23|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-08-10|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dae.nic.in/writereaddata/chmnaec.pdf|title=Former Chairmen of Atomic Energy Commission|date=2012-06-05|website=Government of India Department of Atomic Energy|access-date=2019-08-10|archive-date=7 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180107174214/http://dae.nic.in/writereaddata/chmnaec.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*Vice-president, Fourth UN Conference on 'Peaceful uses of Atomic Energy' (1971)
*Vice-president, Fourth UN Conference on 'Peaceful uses of Atomic Energy' (1971)
*Founder and Chairman (1963–1971), [[Space Applications Centre]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sac.gov.in/Vyom/founder.jsp|title=Space Applications Centre|website=www.sac.gov.in|access-date=2019-08-10}}</ref>
*Founder and Chairman (1963–1971), [[Space Applications Centre]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sac.gov.in/Vyom/founder.jsp|title=Space Applications Centre|website=www.sac.gov.in|access-date=2019-08-10|archive-date=26 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190326030524/https://www.sac.gov.in/Vyom/founder.jsp|url-status=dead}}</ref>


==Legacy==
==Legacy==
[[File:Vikram Sarabhai 1972 stamp of India.jpg|thumb|Sarabhai on a 1972 Indian stamp]]
[[File:Vikram Sarabhai 1972 stamp of India.jpg|thumb|Sarabhai on a 1972 Indian stamp]]
*The [[Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre]], (VSSC), which is the Indian Space Research Organization's lead facility for launch vehicle development located in [[Thiruvananthapuram]] ([[Trivandrum]]), capital of Kerala state, is named in his memory.
*The [[Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre]], (VSSC), which is the Indian Space Research Organization's lead facility for launch vehicle development located in [[Thiruvananthapuram]] ([[Trivandrum]]), capital of Kerala state, is named in his memory.
*Along with other Ahmedabad-based industrialists, he played a major role in setting up of the [[IIM Ahmedabad|Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad]].
*Along with other Ahmedabad-based industrialists, he played a major role in setting up of the [[IIM Ahmedabad|Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad]].
*Indian Postal Department released a commemorative Postal Stamp On his first death anniversary (30 December 1972)
*Indian Postal Department released a commemorative Postal Stamp On his first death anniversary (30 December 1972)
*In 1973, the [[International Astronomical Union]] decided that a lunar crater, Bessel A, in the [[Sea of Serenity]] will be known as the [[Sarabhai (crater)|Sarabhai crater]].<ref name=rukl21>[[Antonín Rükl]]: ''Atlas Měsíce'', Aventinum (Praha 1991), chapter Bessel, page 74, {{ISBN|80-85277-10-7}} {{in lang|cs}}</ref><ref>[[Sarabhai (crater)]] – {{cite web|title=Planetary Names: Sarabhai on Moon; |url=http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/5320|publisher=Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, IAU, [[United States Geological Survey|USGS]], [[NASA]]|date=18 Oct 2010|access-date=22 July 2015}}</ref>
*In 1973, the [[International Astronomical Union]] decided that a lunar crater, Bessel A, in the [[Sea of Serenity]] will be known as the [[Sarabhai (crater)|Sarabhai crater]].<ref name=rukl21>[[Antonín Rükl]]: ''Atlas Měsíce'', Aventinum (Praha 1991), chapter Bessel, page 74, {{ISBN|80-85277-10-7}} {{in lang|cs}}</ref><ref>[[Sarabhai (crater)]] – {{cite web|title=Planetary Names: Sarabhai on Moon; |url=https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/5320|publisher=Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, IAU, [[United States Geological Survey|USGS]], [[NASA]]|date=18 Oct 2010|access-date=22 July 2015}}</ref>
*The lander on India's Moon mission [[Chandrayaan-2]] which was to land near the South Pole of the Moon on Sep 20, 2019 was named Vikram in his honour.
*The lander on India's Moon mission [[Chandrayaan-2]] which was to land near the South Pole of the Moon on Sep 20, 2019 was named Vikram in his honour.
*Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC) located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat is named after him. Vikram Sarabhai established this institute around the 1960s.
*Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC) located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat is named after him. Vikram Sarabhai established this institute around the 1960s.
*Former World Quiz Champion [[Vikram Joshi]] was named after him.
*Former World Quiz Champion [[Vikram Joshi]] was named after him.
*A Space Museum was dedicated to him at [[Birla Science Museum|B M Birla Science Centre]], Hyderabad on 26 July 2019. The museum was curated by Pranav Sharma.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Space Museum opened at Hyderabad with ISRO Collaboration - ISRO|url=https://www.isro.gov.in/update/08-aug-2019/space-museum-opened-hyderabad-with-isro-collaboration|access-date=2020-09-22|website=www.isro.gov.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=&|date=2019-12-06|title=Birla Science Centre's Pranav Sharma gets REX Karmaveer Award|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/birla-science-centres-pranav-sharma-gets-rex-karmaveer-award/article30214217.ece|access-date=2020-09-22|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
*A Space Museum was dedicated to him at [[Birla Science Museum|B M Birla Science Centre]], Hyderabad on 26 July 2019. The museum was curated by [[Pranav Sharma]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Space Museum opened at Hyderabad with ISRO Collaboration - ISRO|url=https://www.isro.gov.in/update/08-aug-2019/space-museum-opened-hyderabad-with-isro-collaboration|access-date=2020-09-22|website=www.isro.gov.in|archive-date=19 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919064104/https://www.isro.gov.in/update/08-aug-2019/space-museum-opened-hyderabad-with-isro-collaboration|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2019-12-06|title=Birla Science Centre's Pranav Sharma gets REX Karmaveer Award|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/birla-science-centres-pranav-sharma-gets-rex-karmaveer-award/article30214217.ece|access-date=2020-09-22|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
*ISRO's [[Vikas (rocket engine)]] is named after him.
*ISRO's [[Vikas (rocket engine)]] is named after him.
* On his 100th birthday on 12 August 2019, the [[Indian Space Research Organization]] (ISRO) announced an award in the name of Vikram Sarabhai. The Vikram Sarabhai Journalism award in Space Science Technology and Research will be given to those journalists who have contributed to the fields of space science, applications, and research.<ref>{{Cite web|date=8 August 2019|title=ISRO announces Vikram Sarabhai awards for journalism in the fields of space science, applications, and research|url=https://www.firstpost.com/tech/science/isro-announces-vikram-sarabhai-awards-for-journalism-in-the-fields-of-space-science-applications-and-research-7129111.html|url-status=live|website=Firstpost}}</ref>
* On his 100th birthday on 12 August 2019, the [[Indian Space Research Organization]] (ISRO) announced an award in the name of Vikram Sarabhai. The Vikram Sarabhai Journalism award in Space Science Technology and Research will be given to those journalists who have contributed to the fields of space science, applications, and research.<ref>{{Cite web|date=8 August 2019|title=ISRO announces Vikram Sarabhai awards for journalism in the fields of space science, applications, and research|url=https://www.firstpost.com/tech/science/isro-announces-vikram-sarabhai-awards-for-journalism-in-the-fields-of-space-science-applications-and-research-7129111.html|website=Firstpost}}</ref>


== In popular culture ==
== In popular culture ==
On 12 August 2019, [[Google]]'s [[Google Doodle|Doodle]] for India commemorated Sarabhai's 100th birth anniversary.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Vikram Sarabhai's 100th Birthday|url=https://www.google.com/doodles/vikram-sarabhais-100th-birthday}}</ref>
On 12 August 2019, [[Google]]'s [[Google Doodle|Doodle]] for India commemorated Sarabhai's 100th birth anniversary.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Vikram Sarabhai's 100th Birthday|url=https://doodles.google/doodle/vikram-sarabhais-100th-birthday/}}</ref>
On 30 September 2020, [[Amar Chitra Katha|ACK Media]] along with [[Indian Space Research Organisation|ISRO]] released a book namely, ''Vikram Sarabhai: Pioneering India's Space Programme''. It was released in [[Amar Chitra Katha|Amar Chitra Katha's]] digital platform and merchandise, [[Amar Chitra Katha|ACK Comics]].{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}
On 30 September 2020, [[Amar Chitra Katha|ACK Media]] along with [[Indian Space Research Organisation|ISRO]] released a book namely, ''Vikram Sarabhai: Pioneering India's Space Programme''. It was released in [[Amar Chitra Katha|Amar Chitra Katha's]] digital platform and merchandise, [[Amar Chitra Katha|ACK Comics]].{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}


A 2022 web-series ''[[Rocket Boys (web series)|Rocket Boys]]'' was based on the fictionalized lives of Sarabhai and [[Homi J. Bhabha]], played by [[Ishwak Singh]] and [[Jim Sarbh]] respectively
A 2022 web-series ''[[Rocket Boys (web series)|Rocket Boys]]'' was based on the fictionalized lives of Sarabhai and [[Homi J. Bhabha]], played by [[Ishwak Singh]] and [[Jim Sarbh]] respectively.


In the 2022 film ''[[Rocketry: The Nambi Effect]]'' based on [[Nambi Narayanan]]'s life, Sarabhai was played by [[Rajit Kapur]] in the Hindi version and by [[Ravi Raghavendra]] in the Tamil version.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-02 |title=‘Rocket Boys’ gets Vikram Sarabhai wrong |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/rocket-boys-vikram-sarabhai-sony-liv-7796604/ |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-24 |title=Why Rocket Boys didn’t need to take so many creative liberties |url=https://lifestyle.livemint.com//news/opinion/why-rocket-boys-didn-t-need-to-take-so-many-creative-liberties-111645605832628.html |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=Mintlounge |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=As a Historian of the Nuclear Program, I Can Only Laugh at the Howlers in Rocket Boys |url=https://thewire.in/culture/rocket-boys-science-absurd |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=The Wire}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title='Rocket Boys' Begins Well, Then Turns Into Hagiography With a Blatantly Communal Touch |url=https://thewire.in/culture/rocket-boys-review |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=The Wire}}</ref>
In the 2022 film ''[[Rocketry: The Nambi Effect]]'' based on [[Nambi Narayanan]]'s life, Sarabhai was played by [[Rajit Kapur]] in the Hindi version and by [[Ravi Raghavendra]] in the Tamil version.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-02 |title='Rocket Boys' gets Vikram Sarabhai wrong |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/rocket-boys-vikram-sarabhai-sony-liv-7796604/ |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-24 |title=Why Rocket Boys didn't need to take so many creative liberties |url=https://lifestyle.livemint.com//news/opinion/why-rocket-boys-didn-t-need-to-take-so-many-creative-liberties-111645605832628.html |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=Mintlounge |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=As a Historian of the Nuclear Program, I Can Only Laugh at the Howlers in Rocket Boys |url=https://thewire.in/culture/rocket-boys-science-absurd |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=The Wire}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title='Rocket Boys' Begins Well, Then Turns Into Hagiography With a Blatantly Communal Touch |url=https://thewire.in/culture/rocket-boys-review |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=The Wire}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
=== Notes ===
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
;Bibliography
* {{Cite book|last=Shah|first=Amrita|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vIM_DAAAQBAJ|title=Vikram Sarabhai: A Life|date=2016|publisher=Penguin Books Limited|isbn=978-93-86057-18-1|language=en}}


==External links==
=== Sources ===


* {{Cite book |last=Shah |first=Amrita |author-link=Amrita Shah |url=https://archive.org/details/VikramSarabhai-ALife/mode/1up |title=Vikram Sarabhai: A Life |publisher=[[Viking Press]] |year=2007 |isbn=9780670999514 |location=[[New Delhi]], [[India]] |language=en}}


*[http://astrotalkuk.org/2013/10/30/episode-62-vikram-sarabhai/ Interview with biographer Amrita Shah recorded in August 2013]
==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Commons category}}
*[Interview with biographer Amrita Shah recorded in August 12, 2019] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211085916/http://astrotalkuk.org/2013/10/30/episode-62-vikram-sarabhai/ |date=11 December 2013 }}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20041031034705/http://www.freeindia.org/biographies/greatscientists/vikramasarabhai/ Great Scientists at freeindia.org]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20041031034705/http://www.freeindia.org/biographies/greatscientists/vikramasarabhai/ Great Scientists at freeindia.org]
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[[Category:Indian Space Research Organisation people]]
[[Category:ISRO people]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian Jains]]
[[Category:Gujarati people]]
[[Category:Gujarati people]]
[[Category:Sarabhai family]]
[[Category:Sarabhai family]]
[[Category:Experiments in Art and Technology collaborating artists]]
[[Category:Experiments in Art and Technology collaborating artists]]

Latest revision as of 20:06, 26 February 2026


Vikram Sarabhai
Official portrait of Dr Vikram Sarabhai
1st Chairperson of ISRO
In office
1969–1971
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byM. G. K. Menon
Chairman of the Indian National Committee for
Space Research
In office
1963–1969
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Chairperson of the Atomic Energy Commission of India
In office
1966–1971
Preceded byHomi J. Bhabha
Succeeded byH.N. Sethna
Personal details
Born
Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai

(1919-08-12)12 August 1919[1]
Ahmedabad,
Bombay Presidency,
British India
(now in Gujarat, India)
Died30 December 1971(1971-12-30) (aged 52)
Halcyon Castle, Trivandrum (now Thiruvananthapuram), Kerala, India
Spouse(s)Mrinalini Sarabhai (m.1942; died.2016)
ChildrenMallika Sarabhai (daughter)
Kartikeya Sarabhai (son)
Parent(s)Ambalal Sarabhai (father)
Alma materUniversity of Cambridge (BA, PhD)
Known forIndian space program
Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
AwardsPadma Bhushan (1966)
Padma Vibhushan (posthumously) (1972)
Scientific career
FieldsPhysics
InstitutionsIndian Space Research Organisation
Physical Research Laboratory
Doctoral advisorC. V. Raman
Doctoral studentsUdupi Ramachandra Rao
2=

Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai (12 August 1919 – 30 December 1971) was an Indian physicist and astronomer who initiated space research and helped to develop nuclear power in India. Often regarded as the "Father of Indian space program",[2] Sarabhai was honored with Padma Bhushan in 1966 and the Padma Vibhushan (posthumously) in 1972.

Early life and education[edit | edit source]

Vikram and Mrinalini Sarabhai (1948)

Vikram Sarabhai was born on 12 August 1919 in a Gujarati Śvetāmbara Shrimali Jain family, in Ahmedabad, India.[3][4][5] His father was Ambalal Sarabhai, a major industrialist committed to the Indian independence movement.[6][1]

Professional life[edit | edit source]

Dr. Vikram A. Sarabhai, (left) Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and head of India's Department of Atomic Energy and Dr. Thomas O. Paine, NASA Administrator, sign an agreement to cooperate in an unprecedented experiment using a space satellite to bring instructional television programs to some 5,000 Indian villages.

Known as the cradle of space sciences in India, the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) was founded in 1947 by Vikram Sarabhai.[7] PRL had a modest beginning at his residence, the "RETREAT", with research on cosmic rays.

The institute was formally established at the M.G. Science Institute, Ahmedabad, on 11 November 1947[8] with support from the Karmkshetra Educational Foundation and the Ahmedabad Education Society. Kalpathi Ramakrishna Ramanathan was the first director of the institute. The initial focus was research on cosmic rays and the properties of the upper atmosphere. Research areas were expanded to include theoretical physics and radio physics later with grants from the Atomic Energy Commission. He led the Sarabhai family-owned business conglomerate.

His interests varied from science to sports to statistics. He set up the Operations Research Group (ORG), the first market research organization in the country. Most notable among the many institutes he helped set up are the Nehru Foundation for Development in Ahmedabad, the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), and the Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association (ATIRA). Along with his wife Mrinalini Sarabhai, he founded the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts. Other projects and institutions initiated or established by him include the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) in Kalpakkam, Variable Energy Cyclotron Project in Calcutta, Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) in Hyderabad and Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) in Jaduguda, Jharkhand. Sarabhai started a project for the fabrication and launch of an Indian satellite. As a result, the first Indian satellite, Aryabhata, was put in orbit in 1975 from a Russian cosmodrome.[7] He was the founder of Indian Space Research Organisation.

Death[edit | edit source]

On 30 December 1971, Sarabhai was to review the SLV design before his departure for Mumbai the same night. He had spoken to A. P. J. Abdul Kalam on the telephone. Within an hour into the conversation, Sarabhai suffered a fatal cardiac arrest at the age of 52 in Trivandrum. His body was cremated in Ahmedabad.

Personal life[edit | edit source]

Vikram Sarabhai married the classical dancer Mrinalini on 3 September 1942. The couple had two children. His daughter Mallika gained prominence as an actress and activist, and his son Kartikeya too became an active person in science. He attended Gujarat College, Ahmedabad, but later moved to the University of Cambridge, England, where he took his tripos in natural sciences in 1940.[9] In 1945, he returned to Cambridge to pursue his PhD and wrote a thesis, "Cosmic Ray Investigations in Tropical Latitudes", in 1947.[9]

Distinguished positions[edit | edit source]

Legacy[edit | edit source]

Sarabhai on a 1972 Indian stamp
  • The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, (VSSC), which is the Indian Space Research Organization's lead facility for launch vehicle development located in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), capital of Kerala state, is named in his memory.
  • Along with other Ahmedabad-based industrialists, he played a major role in setting up of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad.
  • Indian Postal Department released a commemorative Postal Stamp On his first death anniversary (30 December 1972)
  • In 1973, the International Astronomical Union decided that a lunar crater, Bessel A, in the Sea of Serenity will be known as the Sarabhai crater.[13][14]
  • The lander on India's Moon mission Chandrayaan-2 which was to land near the South Pole of the Moon on Sep 20, 2019 was named Vikram in his honour.
  • Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC) located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat is named after him. Vikram Sarabhai established this institute around the 1960s.
  • Former World Quiz Champion Vikram Joshi was named after him.
  • A Space Museum was dedicated to him at B M Birla Science Centre, Hyderabad on 26 July 2019. The museum was curated by Pranav Sharma.[15][16]
  • ISRO's Vikas (rocket engine) is named after him.
  • On his 100th birthday on 12 August 2019, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) announced an award in the name of Vikram Sarabhai. The Vikram Sarabhai Journalism award in Space Science Technology and Research will be given to those journalists who have contributed to the fields of space science, applications, and research.[17]

In popular culture[edit | edit source]

On 12 August 2019, Google's Doodle for India commemorated Sarabhai's 100th birth anniversary.[18] On 30 September 2020, ACK Media along with ISRO released a book namely, Vikram Sarabhai: Pioneering India's Space Programme. It was released in Amar Chitra Katha's digital platform and merchandise, ACK Comics.[citation needed]

A 2022 web-series Rocket Boys was based on the fictionalized lives of Sarabhai and Homi J. Bhabha, played by Ishwak Singh and Jim Sarbh respectively.

In the 2022 film Rocketry: The Nambi Effect based on Nambi Narayanan's life, Sarabhai was played by Rajit Kapur in the Hindi version and by Ravi Raghavendra in the Tamil version.[19][20][21][22]

References[edit | edit source]

Notes[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Shah, Amrita (2007). Amrita Shah - Vikram Sarabhai - A Life. Penguin. p. 97. ISBN 9780670999514.
  2. ↑ "Dr. Vikram Sarabhai". Master Control facility - Department Of Space - Government Of India. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  3. ↑ AMRITA SHAH. VIKRAM SARABHAI - A LIFE (in Sanskrit).{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  4. ↑ "formerchairman". www.isro.gov.in. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  5. ↑ "Jains steal the show with 7 Padmas". The Times of India. 9 April 2015. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  6. ↑ Entrepreneurship and Industry in India, 1800-1947. Oxford University Press. 1992. p. 44. ISBN 978-0-19-562806-7. The Sarabhais and the Lalbhais, the town's two most prominent entrepreneurial families, were Banias prominent as shroffs.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 R., Parthasarathy (3 April 2003). "Vikram Sarabhai (1919-1971): Architect of Indian space programme". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 18 May 2003. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  8. ↑ "BRIEF HISTORY". Physical Research Laboratory, Department of Space, Government of India. Archived from the original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Goyal, Shikha (12 August 2019). "Vikram Sarabhai founder of ISRO 100th Birthday: All you need to know". Jagran Josh. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  10. ↑ "From the Archives (May 23, 1969): Sarabhai assails faltering nuclear policy". The Hindu. 23 May 2019. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  11. ↑ "Former Chairmen of Atomic Energy Commission" (PDF). Government of India Department of Atomic Energy. 5 June 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 January 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  12. ↑ "Space Applications Centre". www.sac.gov.in. Archived from the original on 26 March 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  13. ↑ Antonín Rükl: Atlas Měsíce, Aventinum (Praha 1991), chapter Bessel, page 74, ISBN 80-85277-10-7 (in Czech)
  14. ↑ Sarabhai (crater) – "Planetary Names: Sarabhai on Moon;". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, IAU, USGS, NASA. 18 October 2010. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  15. ↑ "Space Museum opened at Hyderabad with ISRO Collaboration - ISRO". www.isro.gov.in. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  16. ↑ "Birla Science Centre's Pranav Sharma gets REX Karmaveer Award". The Hindu. 6 December 2019. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  17. ↑ "ISRO announces Vikram Sarabhai awards for journalism in the fields of space science, applications, and research". Firstpost. 8 August 2019.
  18. ↑ "Vikram Sarabhai's 100th Birthday".
  19. ↑ "'Rocket Boys' gets Vikram Sarabhai wrong". The Indian Express. 2 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  20. ↑ "Why Rocket Boys didn't need to take so many creative liberties". Mintlounge. 24 February 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  21. ↑ "As a Historian of the Nuclear Program, I Can Only Laugh at the Howlers in Rocket Boys". The Wire. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  22. ↑ "'Rocket Boys' Begins Well, Then Turns Into Hagiography With a Blatantly Communal Touch". The Wire. Retrieved 4 March 2022.

Sources[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

Government offices
Preceded by
Position created 		ISRO Chairman
1963–1971 		Succeeded by
M. G. K. Menon
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