UR Rao: From humble origins to space icon

Muralidhara Khajane
Bengaluru:

Five years after Udupi Ramachandra Rao (popularly known as UR Rao) exited from the earth and entered the ‘space’ of Panchabhootas, a valuable volume on him is all set to reach those who love and adore science, especially space science. The unique biography - The Life and Times of UR Rao-From Humble Origins to Space Legend - authored by Prashanth G N will be launched on Saturday. The book is published by Naaku Tanti Prakashana of noted filmmaker B Suresh.

It is the 25th book from the 16-yearold publishing House. The author, Prashanth, has been a science journalist for over two decades and worked with various publications such as The Times of India, The Hindu, Deccan Herald, International Business Times and Talk News Magazine. He is a three-time Robert Bosch Foundation Fellow.

‘The Life and Times of U R Rao’ offers a graphic picture of renowned Indian space scientist and chairman of the ISRO, UR Rao, who was instrumental in making India one of the six countries in the world to run a comprehensive space programme. He had laid the foundation of Indian space along with legends like Dr Homi Bhabha, and Dr Vikram Sarabhai and Dr Satish Dhawan.

What made Prashanth record Rao’s personal and professional life? “My interest and fascination for space, satellites and rockets and magnificent contribution of Prof Rao to space. 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. He had been instrumental in achieving this position for India, one among only six countries in the world that has the capability to run a comprehensive space programme. He achieved this success with his great sense of engineering, precision and massive knowledge about space,” explains Prashanth.

He embarked on the journey of recording Rao’s life sometime in 2016. He used to visit Prof Rao every Saturday to record his story. The interesting part of this book is the anecdotes narrated by Prof Rao and his conversations with those who led the country towards progress, including former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her son Rajiv Gandhi.

The book will be released by eminent space scientist Dr K Kasturirangan, former chairman, ISRO, Dr M Annadurai, former director of U R Rao Satellite Centre and Dr M Govinda Rao, (brother of Prof. U R Rao) at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan on July 30 at 7 pm.