ડૉ. વિક્રમ સારાભાઇ

Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai (Gujarati: વિક્રમ અંબાલાલ સારાભાઇ) (12 August
1919 – 31 December 1971) was an Indian physicist. He is considered to
be the father of the Indian space program.
Contents [hide]
1 Biography
1.1 Early years and education
1.2 Marriage and children
1.3 Physical Research Laboratory
1.4 Death
2 Indian space programme
3 Awards
4 Distinguished Positions
5 Honors
6 References
7 External links
Biography

Early years and education
Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai was born on 12 August 1919 in the city of
Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat in western India. The Sarabhai
family was an important and rich Jain business family. His father
Ambalal Sarabhai was an affluent industrialist and owned many mills
including some textile mills in Gujarat. Vikram Sarabhai was one of
the eight children of Ambalal and Sarla Devi.
[edit]Marriage and children
In September, 1942, Vikram Sarabhai married Mrinalini Sarabhai, a
celebrated classical dancer. The wedding was held in Chennai without
anyone from Vikram's side of the family attending the wedding ceremony
because of the ongoing Quit India movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.
Vikram and Mrinalini had two children - Kartikeya and Mallika. Vikram
Sarabhai had a troubled marriage and was in a long term relationship
with Dr.Kamala Choudhary.[3]
His daughter Mallika Sarabhai was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's
third highest civilian honor for the year 2010 and his son Kartikeya
Sarabhai was awarded the Padma Shri in 2012.
[edit]Physical Research Laboratory
Sarabhai returned to an independent India in 1947. Looking at the
needs of the country, he persuaded charitable trusts controlled by his
family and friends to endow a research institution near home in
Ahmedabad. This led to the creation of the Physical Research
Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad on November 11, 1947.

Death
Sarabhai died on 31 December 1971 at Halcyon Castle,
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. He was visiting Thiruvananthapuram to
attend the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Thumba railway
station being built to service the newly created Thumba Equatorial
Rocket Launching Station.
[edit]Indian space programme

The establishment of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) was
one of his greatest achievements. He successfully convinced the
government of the importance of a space programme for a developing
country like India after the Russian Sputnik launch. Dr. Sarabhai
emphasized the importance of a space programme in his quote:
"There are some who question the relevance of space activities in a
developing nation. To us, there is no ambiguity of purpose. We do not
have the fantasy of competing with the economically advanced nations
in the exploration of the moon or the planets or manned space-flight."
"But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role
nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second to none
in the application of advanced technologies to the real problems of
man and society."
Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha, widely regarded as the father of India's
nuclear science program, supported Dr. Sarabhai in setting up the
first rocket launching station in India. This center was established
at Thumba near Thiruvananthapuram on the coast of the Arabian Sea,
primarily because of its proximity to the equator. After a
remarkable[citation needed] effort in setting up the infrastructure,
personnel, communication links, and launch pads, the inaugural flight
was launched on November 21, 1963 with a sodium vapour payload.
As a result of Dr. Sarabhai's dialogue with NASA in 1966, the
Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) was launched
during July 1975 – July 1976 (when Dr.Sarabhai was no more).
Dr. 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.
Dr. Sarabhai was very interested in science education and founded a
Community Science Centre at Ahmedabad in 1966. Today, the centre is
called the Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre.
He led the family's 'Sarabhai' diversified business group.
His interests varied from science to sports to statistics. He set up
Operations Research Group (ORG), the first market research
organization in the country.
Sarabhai established many institutes which are of international
repute. Most notable among them are [Nehru Foundation for Development,
Ahmedabad][NFD, (www.nfdindia.org)\Indian Institutes of Management
(IIMs) which are considered world class for their management studies.
Also he helped establish Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), which is
doing commendable job[4][5] in R&D in physics. Sarabhai set up
Ahmedabad Textiles Industrial Research Association (ATIRA), which
helped the booming textiles business in Ahmedabad. He also set up
Center for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT). Not stopping
with all these he went ahead and set up Blind Men Association (BMA)
which helps visually challenged people with necessary skills and
support. And along with wife Mrinalini Sarabhai he founded Darpana
Academy of Performing Arts. Other well known institutions established
by him include Faster Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) in Kalpakkam,
Varaiable Energy Cyclotron Project in Calcutta, Electronics
Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) in Hyderabad and Uranium
Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) in Jaduguda, Bihar.
[edit]Awards

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award (1962)
Padma Bhushan (1966)
Padma Vibhushan, posthumous (after-death) (1972)

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From:-
V.K.MEVADA