Biography of Prof U R Rao to be released on July 30

Bengaluru: A book on late space scientist and Padma Vibhushan Prof U R Rao, titled "The Life and Times of U R Rao: From Humble Origins to a Space Legend, A Biographical Account" by science journalist and content strategist Prashanth G. N. will be released by eminent space scientist Dr K Kasturirangan, former Isro chairman, and Chairman, Steering Committee on the National Curriculum Framework, Dr M Annadurai, Former director of U R Rao Satellite Centre and eminent economist and former director of National Institute of Public Finance and Policy Dr M. Govinda Rao (brother of Prof U R Rao) at 7 pm on Saturday at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

The book outlines the personal and professional journey of Prof U R Rao. He was not only the architect of India's satellite policy, but the entire space policy of the country with other space stalwarts. Prof Rao was also instrumental in identifying the launch centre for satellites at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh and was the man behind the launch of Aryabhata, India's first satellite in 1975. He gave a push to the construction of rockets, PSLV and GSLV. The book captures the younger days of Prof Rao at home, school and college to his days in Isro and ultimately his induction into the Satellite Hall of Fame, Washington DC, the first Indian space scientist to have achieved this distinction. The book has been published by Nakutanti Publications, whose publisher, B Suresha is deeply involved with theatre and film apart from books and publishing.

In the book, Prof Rao recounts his days when his family could not afford to pay for his education and did not have any connection with science and space. It is from such a humble background that Prof Rao emerged to become the tallest space figure in the country and the architect of India's satellite and space programme. The book captures numerous anecdotes, experiences and conversations that Prof Rao had with a wide range of people from his teachers to Prime Ministers and Presidents in India and with intellectual luminaries across the world.

Commenting on the endeavour, the author of the book, Prashanth G N said, "I took up the venture of recording Prof UR Rao's personal and professional life owing to two important reasons: my interest in and fascination for space, satellites, and rockets and the magnificent contribution of Prof Rao to space, not just as someone who set up the satellite programme, but as someone who established the very foundations of the Indian space along with legends like Dr Homi Bhabha, Dr Vikram Sarabhai and Dr Satish Dhawan, coming from deeply humble beginnings. I have had the privilege of watching rocket launches from the control room of India's spaceport at Sriharikota in the company of Prof Rao. The 20-odd minutes it would take to complete the entire sequence is as nervous a time as it can get. The graph in the control room keeps flickering and you keep praying ever second that everything would go according to plan and so it has for Isro over the last five decades. Prof Rao has been instrumental in achieving this position for India, one among only six countries in the world that have the capability to run a comprehensive space programme. He has achieved this success with his great sense of engineering, precision and massive knowledge about space."