Dr. K. Kasturirangan

Astrophysicist who led India's early Earth-observation satellites and chaired ISRO from 1994 to 2003, when PSLV became operational and GSLV first flew successfully.

Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan (died 25 April 2025)

Contribution

Before he led ISRO, Kasturirangan was Project Director for Bhaskara-I and Bhaskara-II, India's first two experimental Earth-observation satellites. He then directed IRS-1A, the first operational Indian Remote Sensing satellite.

As Chairman from 1994 to 2003 he oversaw the PSLV becoming an operational launcher and the first successful test flight of the GSLV. The IRS-1C and IRS-1D imaging satellites, the IRS-P3 and IRS-P4 ocean satellites, and the second generation of INSAT satellites were built and launched in this period.

Career

He studied physics at Bombay University and earned a doctorate in experimental high-energy astronomy in 1971 at the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad. His research covered X-ray and gamma-ray sources in space.

Before becoming Chairman he was Director of the ISRO Satellite Centre, where INSAT-2 and IRS-1A and 1B were developed. He left the chairmanship on 27 August 2003.

He later served on the Planning Commission and as Director of the National Institute of Advanced Studies in Bengaluru, and he worked on drafting the National Education Policy. He received the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. He died on 25 April 2025.

Linked missions

Bhaskara-I and II: Project Director.
IRS-1A: overall direction.
PSLV and GSLV: operational and first successful flights during his chairmanship.