Vikram Sarabhai Biography

Fondly called the Father of the Indian Space program, Vikram Sarabhai was a man much ahead of his times. Born into a wealthy business family in India, he enjoyed a privileged childhood and the means to pursue all the education he wanted. From a young age Sarabhai developed a deep interest in science and mathematics. He was a very curious child who loved to explore life. After completing his primary education from India he moved abroad for further studies. He became obsessed with science and all that science has to offer over his course of stay in England. By the time he was back to India, he was fixated on contributing something of relevance to the country. He began researching on cosmic rays at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and such was his dedication that he published his first scientific paper within two years of starting his research! He once again went to England and returned when India had become independent. Realizing the need for quality research institutions in the newly independent country, he helped to establish the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad. He also played an instrumental role in the establishment of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).