Former ISRO Chief Vasant Gowarikar Passes Away in Pune

Well-known scientist Vasant Gowarikar passed away after suffering from a brief illness at the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune on Friday, Jan 2, 2015.

He was 81. He was a pioneer in the field of Indian rocket science and led ISRO as its chairman.

The protégé of scientist Vikram Sarabhai, Vasant Gowarikar, was one of the scientists who worked to initiate the satellite research program in India. He worked with scientists like Pramod Kale, A. P. J. Kalam, U. R. Rao, and E. V. Chitnis.

Dr. Gowarikar worked with Dr. Sarabhai and helped to set up ISRO. He worked with Sarabhai when his office was located in Thumba’s St. Mary Magdalene Church.

Advisor to the Prime Minister:

During the tenure of P. V. Narasimha Rao, Gowarikar held the post of a scientific advisor. He later went on to join the Pune University as the Vice-Chancellor and then joined Marathi Vidya Parishad as its chairman.

After completing his graduation from the district of Kolhapur in Western Maharashtra, he moved to England, where he obtained his MSc and Ph.D. in chemical engineering. He was supervised by Dr. F. H. Garner and later created the Garner – Gowarikar theory.

The transfer of heat and mass between solids and fluids was the focus of this theory.

Gowarikar also was a part of a team that compiled the very helpful yet massive ‘The Fertilizer Encyclopaedia’ in 2008

Dr. Gowarikar was first awarded the Padma Shri post which in the year 2008, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan.