Udupi Ramachandra Rao, popularly known as the “Indian Satellite Man”, is an Indian space scientist who served as Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization from 1984 to 1994. He is also known for pioneering India’s first launch of the Aryabhata satellite in 1975. Rao passed away in 2017 due to long-term illness and age-related health issues.
Wiki/Biography
Udupi Ramachandra Rao, also known as UR Rao, was born on Thursday, March 10, 1932, in Udupi Adamaru, Karnataka (then British India South Canara District, Madras District) (died at the age of 85). His zodiac sign is Pisces. He studied at Christian High School, Udupi, Karnataka and Veerashawar College. In 1952, he pursued his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. In 1954, he pursued a Master of Science degree at Benares Hindu University, Varanasi. In 1960, he pursued a PhD in philosophy from the University of Gujarat, Gujarat.
Udupi Ramachandra as a teenager
appearance
Hair color: semi-bald
Eye color: black
family
Parents and siblings
Rao’s father’s name is Lakshminarayana Acharya and he works in a hotel. His mother’s name was Krishnavini Amma. He has two younger brothers, U. Krishnamorthy Rao and Marapalli Govinda Rao, an economist.
wife and children
Rao’s wife is Yashoda Rao, a scientist.
Wife of Udupi Ramachandra Rao
His son, Madan Rao, teaches at the National Center for Biological Sciences in Bangalore. His daughter’s name is Mala and she is an architect.
religion
Rao is a Hindu.
caste
Rao belongs to the Brahmin caste.
Profession
hold office
- Chairman, Board of Governors, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad and Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, Bangalore
- Director, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram
- President, Indian Science Congress Association, West Bengal (1995)
- Vice-President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), Paris (1984-1992)
- Co-Chairman, National Center for Antarctic and Marine Research, Goa (2012)
- First Chairman of Prasar Bharati, New Delhi (2002)
- Dean, Karnataka Institute of Science and Technology
- President, Bangalore Science Education Association
- Chancellor, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow
- Member, Central Board of Directors, Reserve Bank of India
- Additional Director, Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Ltd., Bangalore
- Chairman, Board of Governors, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune
After receiving his PhD in 1960, Rao began teaching at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. After leaving MIT, he served as an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Dallas. After resigning from his professorship, he began his career as a cosmic ray scientist under the supervision of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai. After returning to India from the United States in 1966, he joined the Ahmedabad Physical Research Laboratory as a professor. In 1972, he contributed to the establishment of Indian satellite technology. After the death of physicist Vikram Sarabhai in 1972, Rao was put in charge of the satellite Aryabhata.
Udupi Ramachandra and Aryabhata satellite model
He led a team of students from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), trained them in an industrial shed at Piniya, and successfully launched the Aryabhata satellite in 1975.
Udupi Ramachandra Rao trains other scientists while making Aryabhata
Subsequently, he and his team members built 18 other satellites including Bhaskara 1 and 2, APPLE, Rohini, INSAT-1 and INSAT-2. In an interview, he spoke about India’s contribution in making its own satellite, saying,
It saves the country a lot of money. The INSAT 2B we sent last month would cost us Rs 300 crore in foreign exchange if we bought it. But it cost only Rs 78 crore to build it here. The launch vehicles we make are also at least a third cheaper than elsewhere. This is because in the high-tech sector, almost 70% of the costs are spent on science and engineering man-hours, which are very cheap in India. “
He conducted extensive research on the Pioneer and Explorer spacecraft and theorized on the concept of solar cosmic rays and the electromagnetic state of interplanetary space. He co-created the INSAT satellite, which became popular in the 1980s and 1990s. INSAT satellites provide telecommunications services to many remote areas in India. In 1985, he joined the Space Committee as chairman and served as secretary of the Ministry of Space, where he began to study rocket technology. In 1992, he led the development of the ASLV rocket. In 1991, he produced the Geostationary Launch Vehicle GSLV and Cryogenic Technology. In 1995, he built the PSLV launch vehicle to launch an 850-kilogram satellite into orbit. In an interview, he talked about the first failed PSLV launch vehicle mission in 1993 and said,
We believe that the success rate of this launch is 90%. But space is a ruthless industry. Even a one percent error is enough to prevent us from achieving the mission goal of launching a satellite into orbit. But in terms of new technology, this is our biggest ever. All major motors perform excellently. A critical sequence during the most difficult power phase of crossing the Earth’s atmosphere went off without a hitch. “
He became the first chairman of Antrix Corporation, the commercial head of ISRO. He became a fellow of many educational institutions, including the Indian Academy of Science, Bangalore, the National Academy of Sciences of India, New Delhi, the National Academy of Sciences of Uttar Pradesh, the Institute of Electronics and Telecommunications Engineers, Chandigarh, the International Academy of Astronautics, Paris, and the Academy of Third World Sciences, Italy. In June 1997, he served as Chairman of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN-COPUOS) and the Third Outer Space Conference. In April 2007, he served as Chairman of the 30th International Antarctic Treaty Consultative Committee Meeting held in Delhi. He is the author of three books, including “Perspectives on Communication” (1987), “Space and Agenda 21 – Caring for the Planet” (1995) and “Space Technology for Sustainable Development” (1996). He is reported to have published more than 350 scientific papers on topics such as cosmic rays, astronomy, space applications, satellite and rocket technology.
Awards, Honors, Achievements
- Padmasambhava (2017)
Udupi Ramachandra Rao receives Padma Vibhushan
- He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam from ISRO and Astronautical Society of India (ASI).
- On March 19, 2013, he was inducted into the Satellite Hall of Fame in Washington at a ceremony organized by the International Association of Satellite Professionals, becoming the first Indian to receive this honor.
- ELCINA Electronic Personality of the Year Award (1994)
- Jawaharlal Nehru Award (1995)
- Information Bureau of India Award (2003)
- NASA Group Achievement Award (1973)
- Frank J. Malina Award (1994)
- ISPRS Edward Dolezal Award (2000)
- Theodore von Karman Prize (2005)
- In 2004, he was selected by the American “Space News” magazine as one of the top ten international figures who have contributed to the world’s civil, commercial and military space since 1989.
Note: He has also received many other national and international awards.
die
Rao passed away on July 24, 2017, in Indira Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka, following a long illness and age-related health issues.
Facts/Trivia
- His neighbours, friends and family affectionately called him Rao Bhava and Ramudu.
- Rao has been interested in science since childhood. He wants to become an emergency officer in the armed forces after completing his studies. After he started pursuing his PhD under the guidance of physicist Vikram Sarabhai, he advised him to conduct research and choose a field of science.
Udupi Ramachandra Rao in college
- In the 1970s and 1980s, both rupee notes featured images of the Aryabhata satellite, launched in 1975.
Two rupee note with Aryabhata satellite image
- In 1992, the Bangalore Police Commissioner informed Rao that he had escaped punishment by being kidnapped by some people who wanted to make a name for themselves by kidnapping Rao.
- In 2004, a report by Rao caused controversy when he proposed cutting annual fees at the Indian Institute of Management by 30%. Talking about the same in an interview, he said,
Private self-funded institutions charge high fees. For example, in Chennai, a student pays up to Rs 30 lakh for a medical seat! The heads of various medical institutions even offer something called a “package deal.” That means you pay £10 million upfront and after seven years you can get a guaranteed MD or MSc. What kind of nonsense is this! I mean, unless you have black money, who can afford to spend that kind of money? “
- Several universities including Mysore (1976), Calcutta (1981), University of Bologna (Italy) (1992) and Madras (Anna University) (1994) conferred upon him the Honorary D.Sc. .
- On May 15, 2016, he was introduced as a member of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF).
- On March 10, 2021, Google created a Google Doodle to pay tribute to Rao on his 89th birthday. In the description, it reads: “Your stellar technological advances continue to be felt throughout the galaxy.”
Google Doodle pays tribute to Udupi Ramachandra Rao
- Some members of ISRO revealed that Rao visited the ISRO headquarters office before his death in 2017.
- Rao loved playing cricket.
Udupi Ramachandra Rao plays cricket
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education