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• Key Contributions
• Recognition

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• Vikram Sarabhai, father of Indian Space Program, was born on 12^th of Aug,1919 in Ahmedabad.
  
  

        Dr. Vikram Sarabhai

Key contributions

• He was a great institution builder and established or helped to establish a large number of institutions in diverse fields. He established Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in 1947. PRL was the cradle of space sciences in India. PRL had a modest beginning at his residence, the RETREAT, with research in cosmic rays. It was formally established at M.G. Science Institute, Ahmedabad, on 11^th Nov 1947
• He played an important role in the establishment of a number of institutions including IIM Ahmedabad.
• The establishment of ISRO was one of his greatest achievements. He successfully convinced the government of the importance of space program after the Russian Sputnik launch.
  • He was the first chair of Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) which was predecessor to ISRO (established in its current form in 1969).
  • He also contributed in the setting up of Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station at Thiruvananthapuram, with its inaugural flight in 1963.
• He was also chairperson of Atomic Energy Commission.

Recognition

• He received Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Medal in 1962
• Was awarded Padma Vibhushan (posthumously) in 1972. Earlier was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1966.

Other Key Positions held:

• President of the Physics Section, Indian Science Congress (1962)
• President of General Conference of the I.A.E.A, Vienna (1970)