The Father of India’s Space Program. Started with one Satellite on the way with 104 Satellites.

Vikram Sarabhai is called as Father of Indian Space Program. He belonged to a rich family in Gujarat who owned many mills and industries in India. He was born as one of the eight children of Ambalal and Sarla Devi in the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. His family was known for the social work that they did for the underprivileged people of the society.

He completed his intermediate education from Gujarat College in Ahmedabad and then moved to England to study in the University of Cambridge

He got married to Mrinalini Sarabhai, who was a famous classical dancer. However, his family members could not attend the marriage as they were a strong part of Quit India movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.

After the independence of India. Vikram Sarabhai sought a charitable trust set up by family and friends for the research work in the field of Science. This was the genesis of Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad which is till date a distinguished national research institute for space and allied science.

Vikram Sarabhai convinced the Indian government to set up Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). It was soon after the launch of the Russian satellite Sputnik, and Vikram Sarabhai made it clear to the government that India can also be in the League of Nations stepping on the moon.

Dr. Homi Bhabha supported the Sarabhai in the field of nuclear research in India. Bhabha helped Sarabhai in setting up the first rocket launching station in India.

Very few people know that ,It was Vikram Sarabhai’s efforts that brought television to India. His consistent communication with NASA formed the base for Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) in 1975. This further steered the coming in of cable television in India

Vikram Sarabhai was the main person behind India’s first satellite Aryabhata.

He set up a number of institutes including:

Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad

Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad

Community Science Centre, Ahmedabad

Darpan Academy for Performing Arts, Ahmedabad (along with his wife)

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram

Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad (This institution came into existence after merging six institutions/centres established by Sarabhai)

 Faster Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR), Kalpakkam

 Variable Energy Cyclotron Project, Calcutta

Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), Hyderabad

Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), Jaduguda, Bihar

    He was one of the founding members for Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad, in 1961 along with Kasturbhai Lalbhai.