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(As told to Chethan Kumar by the ex-Isro chairman)

Prof UR Rao , who in many ways has been instrumental in designing India’s modern satellite and space programme, was not just a scientist with technical know-how but a visionary whose concern for India is unparalleled. In my long association with him that lasted more than four decades, I have seen him take up some of the most challenging problems and see India through it.After his masters from Banaras Hindu University, Rao was teaching Physics in Mysuru when Prof Vikram Sarabhai first roped him into space research. It was early years, and Rao took up a scholarship under Sarabhai to study cosmic rays and their impact. Sarabhai had just set up the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad, which was doing work in two major fields — one in the cosmic rays area led by Sarabhai and Rao, and the second on atmospheric sciences led by Prof K R Ramanathan. Rao was among the oldest students of Sarabhai.After successfully completing his thesis and publishing several significant papers, including at the Royal Society, Rao went to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) from where he moved to South West Centre for Advanced Studies. He was doing very well for himself, but one call to serve the country, and Rao left everything behind. It was in the late 1960s that Rao was recalled from the US by Prof Vikram Sarabhai to take charge of India’s satellite programme.As preparations to build a small 40-kg satellite — Rohini — which was to be launched on our own ASLV kicked off, we were intimated that Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was in talks with the Russians to send an India-built satellite on their launcher. We were given just 30-36 months, and Rao was mandated with the project. That was his first major challenge, and as he has demonstrated for years to come after that, Rao succeeded.That was how Aryabhata, India’s first satellite, was born. From Bhaskara to a host of remote sensing satellites, the INSAT family series, Rao’s contribution to Indian space science is punctuated by more successes than failures. And it has, in some sense, allowed Isro to build a growth story that is envied by many.His attempt to launch the first PSLV, one of the only failures he saw, failed only by a whisker. In hindsight, it seems like a silly thing we overlooked, but Rao was never one to not recover from setbacks. Despite the failure, the launch vehicle was 99% ready for India, and today it is not only the workhorse of Isro, buta benchmark.Even as Rao continued to work on several scientific missions, his vision to give India a series of applications through space science was never affected. He had a wonderful way of marrying the two, and as a result, he pioneered several applications that helped the country look into its groundwater, monitor its forests, telemedicine, education et al.Rao was also a great leader, who helped build a wonderful team of scientists, just like his predecessors, Satish Dhawan and Vikram Sarabhai. And, he always led by example.Even after retirement, there hasn’t been a single day that he was in Bengaluru and not at office. His commitment to contribute to India is also visible in the number of initiatives he helped governments — states and the Centre — carry out. Just last week, he had convened a meeting to discuss a few issues, but took ill. He will surely be missed, but never forgotten.