Visionary scientist who led Isro in tough times

CHANDRAYAAN-3 WAS SCHEDULED to make its landing on the Moon on August 23, 2023.

- AMITABH SINHA

CHANDRAYAAN-3 WAS SCHEDULED to make its landing on the Moon on August 23, 2023. A day earlier, The Indian Express had reached out to K Kasturirangan, the charismatic former chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), seeking an interview to mark the occasion. Having suffered a heart attack a month ago, and not in the best of health, Kasturirangan was reluctant, and sent a message that the best he would be able to do would be to send a few lines of written responses.

But a day later, just ahead of the landing, he indicated that he would like to talk, and appeared on a video call from his Bengaluru home where he was recovering.

"I have not been keeping well, and did not want to do interviews. But you have asked a very interesting question about Vikram Sarabhai, and I wanted to talk about this. After all, I am amongst the last few remaining who is proud to have known and worked closely with Sarabhai," Kasturirangan said, and went on to have a conversation that went on for more than half an hour.