Dr. K Kasturirangan, former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman (1994 to 2003), passed away in Bengaluru.

What were the Contributions of Dr. K. Kasturirangan? 

• Leadership in ISRO: He played a pivotal role in the development of Chandrayaan-1 (2008), India’s first lunar mission, marking India’s entry into space exploration. 
  • He oversaw the successful operationalisation of key satellites such as the IRS (Indian Remote Sensing) series, INSAT (Indian National Satellite), and the launch of PSLV and GSLV. 
  • He was the Project Director for India's first two experimental earth observation satellites, BHASKARA-I & II. 
• Role in Remote Sensing and National Development: He played a key role in the National Natural Resource Management System (NNRMS), enabling satellite-based services for sectors like agriculture, water management, forestry, and health.  
• Pioneering Space Applications: He initiated thematic space missions like EDUSAT (for tele-education), INSAT/GSAT (for telemedicine and communication), OCEANSAT (for oceanography), and CARTOSAT (for cartography), which directly impacted India’s social and economic development. 
• Policy Contributions Beyond Science: After his tenure at ISRO, he served as a Rajya Sabha member and later, a member of the Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog).  
  • He chaired the committee that drafted the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. 
  • He chaired the committee responsible for reviewing the Western Ghats Ecology report. 
    • He recommended that instead of the whole, only 37% of the total area of Western Ghats be brought under Ecological Sensitive Area (ESA). 
• Recognition and Awards: His contributions earned him numerous prestigious awards, including Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan, and international recognition for his work in space science and technology.