Ramachandra Rao: Know ex-ISRO chief who supervised launch of India's first satellite

Google on March 10 paid tribute to renowned Indian professor and scientist Udupi Ramachandra Rao on the occasion of his 89th birthday. Also known as the “India’s Satellite Man”, Prof. UR Rao was an internationally renowned space scientist who made contributions to the development of space technology in India. He also served as the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Physical Research Laboratory at Ahmedabad and the Chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space science and Technology at Thiruvananthapuram. Under the supervision of Prof Rao, India launched its first satellite Aryabhata in 1975. 

All that you need to know about Udupi Ramachandra Rao

The Google doodle features a sketch of the renowned professor. In the background, we can see planet earth and the shooting stars. Prof Rao has published over 350 scientific and technical papers, covering topics like cosmic rays, interplanetary physics, high energy astronomy, space applications and satellite and rocket technology. He has also authored many books. The scientist was also the recipient of D.Sc. (Hon. Causa) Degree from over 25 Universities including the University of Bologna, which is the oldest university in Europe. 

According to the reports by ISRO, Prof. Rao returned to India in 1966 as Professor at the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad. Before this, he worked as a Faculty Member at MIT and Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Dallas. He carried out investigations as a prime experimenter on various Pioneer and Explorer spacecraft.

He was honoured with the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 1976 and Padma Vibhushan in 2017. He became the first Indian Space Scientist to be inducted into the “Satellite Hall of Fame” at Washington DC, USA on March 19, 2013. He also became the first Indian Space Scientist to be inducted into the highly Prestigious “IAF Hall of Fame” at Guadalajara, Mexico.