Mangaluru: Former ISRO chief and celebrated space expert Padma Shri Dr. A.S. Kiran Kumar shed light on ISRO’s forward-looking ambitions in human spaceflight during a keynote address at “ISRO Legacy and Beyond,” held on Sunday at Ramakrishna Math. The event was a collaborative effort by Ramakrishna Mission and Samata Women’s Association.
Dr. Kiran Kumar praised pioneers like Vikram Sarabhai and Homi J. Bhabha for laying the foundation of India’s space journey. He emphasized ISRO’s pivotal role in national progress, enhancing fields such as communication, weather analysis, agriculture, navigation, and defense. “ISRO has brought cutting-edge tech within the reach of ordinary citizens,” he noted.
Highlighting India’s growing stature in the global space arena, he mentioned that ISRO has launched over 450 foreign satellites from 34 nations. Milestone missions like Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan, and Aditya reflect the country’s rising technological edge. He urged citizens to actively participate in the nation-building process.
The program was inaugurated by Karnataka Bank GM Sumana Ghate and chaired by Samata Women’s Association President Katyayani Bhide. Notable attendees included Dr. M.M. Nayak (ex-IISc professor), Honorary President Vijayalakshmi Rao, and MLC Dr. Manjunath Bhandari.
Organizers honored Dr. Kiran Kumar for his stellar contributions. An interactive session moderated by Ranjan Bellarpadi followed, with Prof. Santosh Alva Ekkaru and Anupama Ananthamurthy anchoring the event.
A major attraction was ISRO’s “Space on Wheels” mobile expo, curated by the U.R. Rao Satellite Center, which attracted over 1,000 students. Dr. Kumar also engaged with young minds in a lively Q&A.