Our Students with Dr Kasturirangan, Space Scientist

(Masters Rakshit & Nikhil met Dr Kasturirangan along with Mrs Latha, PGT and Mrs Kamal Peter, Oracle India)

Dr. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan is a space scientist who headed the (ISRO) until 2003 and is now an M.P. He is also the Director of the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore since April 2004. He is a recipient of the Padmasri, Padmabhushan and Padmavibhushan.

Dr. Kasturirangan was responsible for directing the Indian Space programme for over 9 years, as Chairman of ISRO and the Space Commission and as Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Space, before laying down office on 27 August 2003. He was earlier the Director of ISRO Satellite Centre, overseeing the development of new generation spacecraft, the Indian National Satellite (INSAT-2) and the Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS-1A and 1B) as well as scientific satellites. He was also the Project Director for India's first two experimental earth observation satellites, Bhaskara-I and II.

The Indian space programme achieved major milestones under his stewardship, including the operationalisation of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle and the first successful flight testing of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle. His tenure in office also saw the successful design, development and launch of the Remote Sensing satellites, IRS-1C and 1D and the ocean observation satellites IRS-P3/P4.

• 1994 - 2003 Chairman, Space Commission/Secretary, Department of Space, Government of India, Bangalore
• 1990 - 1994 Director, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore
• 1986 - 1989 Associate Director, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore
• 1984 - 1986 Deputy Director, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore
• 1980 - 1989 Project Director, Satellite IRS-1A, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore
• 1979 - 1983 Project Director, Satellite Bhaskara-II, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore
• 1976 - 1980 Project Director, Satellite Bhaskara-I, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore

As an Astrophysicist, Dr.Kasturirangan's research interests include high energy X-ray and gamma ray astronomy as well as optical astronomy. He has published more than 220 papers, in international and national journals, in the areas of astronomy, space science and space applications.

Dr.Kasturirangan is a member of several important scientific academies, both within India and abroad.