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Early life and education

Early life

Kasturirangan was born on 24 October 1940, at Ernakulam in the erstwhile Kingdom of Cochin, to C. M. Krishnaswamy Iyer and Visalakshi. Kasturirangan's forefathers hailed from Tamil Nadu and later settled down in different parts of Kerala; his maternal forefathers settled in Nallepalli Agraharam, in Chittur taluk, Palakkad district and his paternal forefathers settled in the town of Chalakudy, near Thrissur. Kasturirangan's maternal grandfather Sri Ananthanarayana Iyer completed his school and college education and became a sanitary inspector in Ernakulam. He was well-respected in the community for his discipline and integrity. He and his wife Narayani had four daughters and a son, the eldest of whom was Visalakshi.

Kasturirangan's paternal grandfather, Chalakudy Manikam Iyer, being mindful of the importance of education, ensured that all his sons received a sound education up to graduation. Kasturirangan's father was a graduate in chemistry from Maharaja's College, Ernakulam. He worked in a variety of administrative capacities at Tata Airlines and retired as a senior accountant officer at the Indian Airlines Corporation. Kasturirangan and his brother Ravi spent their early childhood in Ernakulam in the care of their maternal grandparents after the death of their mother. At the age of ten, after the sudden death of his grandfather, he joined his father in Bombay (now Mumbai) along with his brother.

Shortly after completing his PhD in 1969, Kasturirangan married Lakshmi. They have two sons, Rajesh and Sanjay. His wife died in 1991.⁷

Education

Kasturirangan did his schooling at Sree Rama Varma High School.⁸ Kasturirangan graduated in science with honours from Ramnarain Ruia College,⁹ Mumbai, and obtained his Master of Science degree in physics from the University of Mumbai.¹⁰ He received his Doctorate Degree in experimental high energy astronomy in 1971, working at the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad. He published more than 240 papers in the areas of astronomy, space science and applications.

Key contributions

Kasturirangan served as Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for 9 years, Chairman of Space Commission and Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Space, before laying down his office on 27 August 2003. In ISRO he served as the director of ISRO Satellite Centre, overseeing the development of new generation spacecraft, the Indian National Satellite System (INSAT-2), 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.

Under his leadership, the programme witnessed several major milestones including the successful launching and operationalisation of the India's prestigious launch vehicles, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). Studies on the advanced version of the GSLV, GSLVMk-III, were also completed, including defining its full configuration. Further, he also oversaw the development and launching of THE remote sensing satellites, IRS-1C and IRS-1D, realisation of new generation INSAT communication satellites, besides ocean observation satellites IRS-P3 and -P4. He also led the initiative for India to enter the planetary exploration era by extensive studies leading to the definition of Chandrayaan-1. These efforts have put India as a pre-eminent space-faring nation among the handful of six countries that have major space programmes. As an astrophysicist, Kasturirangan's interests include research in high energy X-ray and gamma-ray astronomy, as well as optical astronomy. Defining India's most ambitious space based high-energy astronomy observatory and initiating related activities was also an important milestone under his leadership. He made extensive and significant contributions to studies of cosmic X-ray and gamma ray sources and effect of cosmic X-rays in the lower atmosphere.

Kasturirangan was head of a committee tasked with creating the National Education Policy 2020 for India.¹¹ Later in September 2021, he was appointed as the head of a 12-member steering committee which would be responsible for developing a new National Curriculum Framework. This committee, having been given a tenure of 3 years, will be the guiding document for the development of textbooks, syllabi and teaching practices of schools across the country.¹²¹³

Kasturirangan also served as a member of the board of trustees of the Raman Research Institute Trust, Bengaluru.¹⁴

Death

Kasturirangan died on 25 April 2025, at the age of 84.¹⁵

Honours and Awards

Kasturirangan was the recipient of honorary doctorates from 27 universities.³²

Controversies

He was the superior officer of ISRO when Nambi Narayanan was accused of selling secrets to Pakistan. Kasturirangan's lack of help to the latter was noted in the movie Rocketry: The Nambi Effect.

Bibliography

• K. Kasturirangan; P.D. Bhavsar; N.W. Nerukar (1969). "Balloon observations on cosmic x-rays in 20-200 keV range". Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics. 74 (21): 5139–5144. doi:10.1029/JA074i021p05139.
• K. Kasturirangan (1971). "Secondary background properties of x-ray astronomical telescopes at balloon attitudes". Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics. 76 (16): 3527–3533. doi:10.1029/JA076i016p03527.
• K. Kasturirangan; U.R. Rao; P.D. Bhavsar (1972). "Low energy atmospheric gamma rays near geomagnetic equator". Planetary and Space Science. 20: 1961–1977. doi:10.1016/0032-0633(72)90129-8. Archived from the original on 2 February 2013.
• D.P. Sharma; A.K. Jain; K. Kasturirangan; U.B. Jayanthi; U.R. Rao (1973). "Hard x-ray emission from HER X-1". Nature Physical Sciences. 246 (155): 107–108. doi:10.1038/physci246107a0.
• K. Kasturirangan; U.R. Rao; D.P. Sharma; M.S. Radha (1976). "X-ray observations of GX 17 + 2 and GX 9 + 9 from Aryabhata". Nature. 260: 226–227. doi:10.1038/260226a0.
• U R Rao; K Kasturirangan, eds. (1979). The Aryabhata Project. Bangalore: Indian Academy of Sciences. LCCN 83904925. OCLC 10876118.
• R K Varma; K Kasturirangan; U S Srivastava; B H Subbaraya (1992). Space — In Pursuit of New Horizons (A Festschrift for Prof U R Rao).
• K Kasturirangan; R R Daniel, eds. (1996). "Role of Developing Countries in Ground Based Experiments in Support of Space Observations for Global and Regional Studies". COSPAR Journal Advances in Space Research.[volume & issue needed]
• K Kasturirangan; R K Kochhar. The Geocentric Planets.
• K Kasturirangan; J L Fellous; S C Chakravarthy; R S Young; M J Rycroft, eds. (1997). "Problems of Space Science Research: Education and the Role of Teachers". COSPAR Journal Advances in Space Research.[volume & issue needed]
• K. Kasturirangan (1995). "Remote Sensing in India – Present Scenario and Future Thrusts". Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing. 23 (1). Photonirvachak. doi:10.1007/BF02997429.
• P.S. Desai; H. Honnegowda; K Kasturirangan (10 February 2000). "Ocean Research in India: Perspective from Space" (PDF). Current Science. 78 (3). Archived from the original on 30 April 2004.
• India's Space Efforts – Achieving Great Heights by K. Kasturirangan. ('Vision 21st Century' published by Vidya Publishing House, Mangalore, 2000)
• Developments in Indian Space Programme by K. Kasturirangan. (Journal of Institution of Engineers (India) 'TECHNORAMA', August 2000 Summer Issue)
• Science and Technology of Imaging from Space by K. Kasturirangan. (Current Science, Vol.87, No.5, pp 584-601,2004)
• Space Science in India – Two Recent Initiatives by K. Kasturirangan. Sir J.C. Bose Memorial Lecture at Royal Society, London, 2004 (published and printed by ISRO Publication Unit, ISRO HQ, Bangalore)
• A New Space-based Observatory to Explore the Universe by K. Kasturirangan. (Annals of the INAE, Vol. II, Dec 2005)
• India's Space Enterprise – A Case Study in Strategic Thinking and Planning by K Kasturirangan. Dr. K.R. Narayanan Oration, Australia South Asia Research Centre, at the Australian National University at Canberra, Austrail, 20 July 2006 and reprinted by Pub. and Public Relations Unit, ISRO, Bangalore
• On Coalition Governments by K Kasturirangan. (Journal of Constitutional and Parliamentary studies, vol. 41, Nos. 3-4, July-Dec. 2007, pp. 208–210)
• Special Section: Indian Space Programme – A Multidimensional Perspective edited by K Kasturirangan and M B Rajani. (Current Science, Vol. 93, No. 12, 25 December 2007)
• Space technology for humanity: A profile for the coming 50 years by K. Kasturirangan. (ScienceDirect-Space Policy Vol. 23, pp. 159-166, 2007)
• The Emerging World Space Order: An Indian Perspective by K Kasturirangan. In: Space Security and Global Cooperation (editors : Ajey Lele and Gunjan Singh) Published by Academic Foundation in association with Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi, pp. 29-41, 2009
• Space Odyssey: A Down to Earth Perspective by K Kasturirangan. First Sir Arthur C Clarke Memorial Oration, talk delivered at Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, Arthur C Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies (ACCIMT), Colombo, 19 March 2009, Published by Publications and Public Relations Unit, ISRO HQ, 2009

External links

• Dr. Kasturirangan's biodata at ISRO
• India's Space Enterprise : A Case Study in Strategic Thinking and Planning Archived 24 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine

References

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2. "Home | Central University of Rajasthan". http://www.curaj.ac.in/Default.aspx?PageId=214 ↩

3. "Former ISRO chief Kasturirangan to take over as NIIT University chairperson". India Today. 23 November 2019. https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/former-isro-chief-kasturirangan-to-take-over-as-niit-university-chairperson-1621990-2019-11-23 ↩

4. "Welcome to Jawaharlal Nehru University". Archived from the original on 7 May 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120507153954/http://www.jnu.ac.in/main.asp?sendval=Chancellor ↩

5. "Planning Commission Organisation". Shivap. Archived from the original on 4 March 2010. Retrieved 3 December 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20100304030932/http://planningcommission.nic.in/aboutus/orgn.html ↩

6. "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf ↩

7. Suresh, B. N., ed. (2021). Space and Beyond. doi:10.1007/978-981-33-6510-0. ISBN 978-981-33-6509-4. S2CID 128034694. 978-981-33-6509-4 ↩

8. "At 175, SRV School holds its head high". The New Indian Express. 22 December 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2021. https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2018/dec/22/at-175-srv-school-holds-its-head-high-1914814.html ↩

9. "Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College". ruiacollege.edu. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20160409121457/http://www.ruiacollegealumni.com/jewel-of-ruia/ ↩

10. "Dr Kasturirangan, the mind behind the New Education Policy, used to head India's space agency". Business Insider. Retrieved 12 November 2020. https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/who-is-dr-kasturirangan-and-what-is-his-role-new-education-policy/slidelist/77412899.cms ↩

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12. "K. Kasturirangan to head panel to develop new curriculum framework". The Hindu. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2021. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/k-kasturirangan-to-head-panel-to-develop-new-curriculum-framework/article36597735.ece ↩

13. "K Kasturirangan to head education ministry's panel to develop school curriculum". Hindustan Times. 22 September 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2021. https://www.hindustantimes.com/education/news/k-kasturirangan-to-head-education-ministry-s-panel-to-develop-school-curriculum-101632286538801.html ↩

14. "Raman Research Institute". rri.res.in. Retrieved 19 November 2019. http://www.rri.res.in/rri_trust.html ↩

15. Former ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan passes away in Bengaluru https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/bengaluru/former-isro-chairman-k-kasturirangan-passes-away-in-bengaluru-3510361 ↩

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19. "Chancellor". https://www.curaj.ac.in/chancellors/chancellor ↩

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