Poonam Nath

Former ISRO Chief K Kasturirangan (84) Passes Away In Bengaluru

Digital Desk: K. Kasturirangan, former ISRO chairman and chairperson of the draughting committee for the ambitious new National Education Policy (NEP), died on Friday in Bengaluru, officials said.

Dr. Kasturirangan, 84, died on Friday at 10:43 a.m. in his Bengaluru home. His body will be held at the Raman Research Institute (RRI), allowing the public to pay their last respects on Sunday (April 27).

For more than nine years, he served as the head of the Department of Space, the Space Commission, and the ISRO. He left his position on August 27, 2003.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, recalling the former Isro chief as a visionary leader.

PM Modi also stated, "I am deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. K. Kasturirangan. He served ISRO with great diligence, steering India’s space program to new heights, for which we also received global recognition. His leadership also witnessed ambitious satellite launches and focused on innovation."

As the chairman of the Karnataka Knowledge Commission and chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Kasturirangan is credited with spearheading the education reforms.

In addition, he was a member of the Planning Commission of India at the time and the Rajya Sabha from 2003 to 2009.

Additionally, he was the director of the ISRO Satellite Centre, where he worked on the development of scientific, INSAT-2, and IRS-1A/1B satellites.

He oversaw significant milestones, including the PSLV and GSLV launches, while serving as the project director for Bhaskara I and II, India's first earth observation satellites. For his efforts, he has received the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan awards.

Dr Kasturirangan was trained as an astrophysicist and was interested in high-energy X-ray and gamma ray astronomy. He made significant contributions to research into cosmic X-ray sources, celestial gamma rays, and their effects on Earth's atmosphere.