The passing of Dr. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan marks the end of an era in Indian space science. A visionary scientist, institution builder, and tireless champion of India’s space ambitions, Kasturirangan was not just a name on the long list of ISRO’s chairmen. He was a defining force—one who charted India’s leap from modest remote sensing applications to the threshold of interplanetary exploration. In mourning his loss, we also celebrate a life devoted entirely to expanding the boundaries of national capability and human understanding. Dr. Kasturirangan’s tenure as the Chairman of ISRO from 1994 to 2003 came at a pivotal moment. India’s space programme was maturing, but it needed direction, vision, and global credibility. Under his stewardship, ISRO launched the operational Indian National Satellite (INSAT) and Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) systems into a new orbit—literally and metaphorically. He oversaw the launches of more than 25 satellites that powered India’s communications, meteorology, resource mapping, and disaster management efforts. These weren’t just technological feats; they were national imperatives that touched millions of lives. But what truly set Kasturirangan apart was his foresight. He laid the groundwork for India’s most ambitious space endeavours. It was under his watch that the seeds of Chandrayaan-1, India’s first mission to the moon, were sown. Long before lunar landings made headlines, he dared to imagine India as a credible player in planetary science. His advocacy for the indigenous development of launch vehicles like the PSLV not only ensured technological self-reliance but also placed India in an elite group of spacefaring nations.
Beyond the launchpads and laboratories, Kasturirangan was a rare scientist who could speak both the language of rocket science and the vocabulary of public policy. After retiring from ISRO, he turned his attention to national development and education. As a Rajya Sabha member and member of the Planning Commission, he remained a key voice for science-driven governance. Perhaps his most lasting impact outside ISRO came as chairman of the committee that drafted India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Here again, his fingerprints are visible in the document’s emphasis on scientific temper, research, and holistic learning. Kasturirangan brought to every role an air of quiet authority and sharp intellect. Unlike many technocrats who lose themselves in the echo chambers of their expertise, he was deeply rooted in the Indian ethos. His education at the University of Mumbai and later work at ISRO’s Space Science and Technology Centre kept him grounded in the unique challenges of Indian science, where budgets were modest, expectations high, and outcomes had to be people-centric. He was a recipient of the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan—not merely for his achievements in science, but for his unmatched ability to translate science into statecraft. In many ways, he embodied the spirit of post-independence Indian scientific aspiration: confident, capable, and unapologetically ambitious. In a world now obsessed with private space startups and flashy billionaire-led missions, it is worth remembering that much of India’s credibility in space began with quiet, tireless public servants like Kasturirangan. He may not have courted headlines, but he delivered milestones. As the country bids farewell to one of its finest minds, we must also reckon with the responsibility he leaves behind: to keep dreaming, to keep building, and to keep looking skyward not for fantasy, but for solutions. Dr. Kasturirangan has taken his final journey—this time, beyond the reach of any rocket. But his legacy will remain firmly anchored in every satellite that circles our skies and every young scientist who dares to dream bigger.