Veteran ISRO Pioneer Dr. Eknath Vasant Chitnis Passes Away at 100

• Dr Eknath Vasant Chitnis , a founding architect of India’s space programme and a key figure in the country’s television revolution, passed away in Pune at the age of 100 .

Contributions to Indian Space Programme:

• Early collaborator of Dr Vikram Sarabhai , served as Member Secretary of INCOSPAR .

• Instrumental in selecting Thumba, Kerala , for the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in 1963.

• Played a central role in transitioning INCOSPAR into ISRO .

• Key architect of INSAT and India’s early remote sensing projects , extending communication and education to rural areas.

Mentorship and Recognition:

• Mentored a young APJ Abdul Kalam , recommending him for advanced aerospace training in the 1960s.

• Awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1985 for contributions to science and nation-building.

Legacy Beyond Space:

• Founded the Educational Multimedia Research Centre (EMRC) at Savitribai Phule Pune University.

• Served twice as president of the Press Trust of India , promoting science communication.

• Celebrated by IISER Pune and the National Centre for Science Communicators on his centenary.

Related GK Facts:

• TERLS (1963) : India’s first rocket launch site near the magnetic equator.

• INSAT (1980s) : Revolutionised telecommunications and broadcasting.

• Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad : Major hub for applied space technology under Dr Chitnis.

• APJ Abdul Kalam later became India’s 11th President.