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The Hindu
14 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Work hard to enable India to take humans to moon by 2040: Former ISRO Chief tells youth
Former ISRO Chief and Space Commission member A.S. Kiran Kumar on Sunday asked youth to work hard to make India a space capable nation and enable the country to take humans to moon by 2040. Speaking on the topic 'Igniting the future: ISRO's legacy and beyond', at the Ramakrishna Mutt in Mangaluru on Sunday, Mr. Kumar said the nation, which is moving towards becoming world's largest economy, cannot ignore space economy. The space economy is a trillion dollar economy. Space tourism and space adventure provided tremendous opportunity. Mr. Kumar said, 'Unless our capability in space mission is demonstrated other nations will not take note of India. Youngsters should become leaders and showcase our capability in space science.' Works are on towards having country's own space station by 2035. 'By 2040 we have to take humans to moon and bring them back,' the former ISRO chief said. The government is allowing more people to work in space science. Private entities and consortium of firms are being allowed to launch their satellites. Since the start of the space programme for non-military purpose in October 1957, ISRO has leapfrogged in space technology to indigenously develop different launch pads and launch a number of satellites, he said. 'NavIC, the country's own satellite-based navigation system developed by ISRO, is helping fishermen to navigate through sea in a safe way and find fish. With the feed from satellites and other information, there is advance information about cyclones, which has helped government to evacuate and save lives of people from places that are likely to be affected,' he said. The feed from satellites is also helping forecast crop yield. The use of satellites in hitting precise targets in enemy nation was demonstrated in the recent Operation Sindoor, he said. The youth, he said, are left with lot of problems to solve. 'You have tremendous capability. Rise and lead the country to regain the glory as the place of harmony and peace,' he said.
Hindustan Times
25-04-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
ISRO stalwart to educationist: Kasturirangan's legacy to live in space missions, education reforms
From a renowned space scientist to an educationist, former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan put his stamp on key milestones in India's space missions and education reforms, earning him the title of "encyclopedia" in both arenas. Also read: Former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan dies at 84 Kasturirangan breathed his last at his Bengaluru residence at 10:43 am on Friday. He was unwell since he suffered a heart attack in Sri Lanka in 2023 and his public appearances had reduced since then. Kasturirangan was 84. He steered the Indian space programme gloriously for more than nine years as the chief of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), head of the Space Commission and secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Space, before laying down his office on August 27, 2003. He was the project director for India's first two experimental earth observation satellites -- BHASKARA-I and II -- and subsequently, was also responsible for the overall direction of the first operational Indian remote-sensing satellite, IRS-1A. Kasturirangan got his bachelor's and master's degree in physics from the Bombay University and PhD in experimental high-energy astronomy while working at the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, in 1971. Also read: Ex- ISRO chief passes away, President Murmu, PM Modi condole his death He is credited with the successful launch and operationalisation of India's prestigious launch vehicle, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), and the first successful flight testing of the all-important Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). Defining India's most ambitious space-based high-energy astronomy observatory and initiating a related activities was also an important milestone under his leadership. Kasturirangan has made extensive and significant contributions to the studies of cosmic X-ray and gamma-ray sources and the effect of cosmic X-rays in the lower atmosphere. He is a recipient of three major civilian awards -- Padma Shri (1982), Padma Bhushan (1992) and Padma Vibhushan (2000). After being associated with the ISRO for nearly 35 years -- and heading it from 1994 to 2003 -- Kasturirangan served as a Rajya Sabha MP from 2003 to 2009 and concurrently, as the director of the National Institute of Advanced Studies. Under the former United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, he was a member of the Planning Commission from 2009 to 2014. He also headed the Karnataka Knowledge Commission in 2008. The current National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government gave Kasturirangan the reins of a nine-member committee tasked with drafting the ambitious National Education Policy (NEP) in 2017. Prior to this, another committee was formed in 2015 under former cabinet secretary T S R Subramanian, but its recommendations had not panned out. Officials at the Ministry of Education remember him as an "encyclopedia". Kasturirangan was later also given the charge of the committee that drafted the new National Curriculum Framework (NCF), based on the NEP. He was also a member of the boards of governors of various institutes like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) Roorkee and Madras and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.
Deccan Herald
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Former ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan passes away in Bengaluru
Dr Kasturirangan had steered the Indian Space programme gloriously for over 9 years as Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation, of Space Commission and Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Space, before laying down his office on August 27, 2003.
