Vasant Ranchhod Gowarikar

Vasant Ranchhod Gowarikar was an Indian scientist who made significant contributions to the fields of space research, weather and population. He was born on 25 March 1933 in Pune, Maharashtra, India. He obtained his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Birmingham University, England. He collaborated with F.H. Garner to develop the Garner-Gowarikar theory, a novel analysis of heat and mass transfer between solids and fluid. He joined the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1965 and worked under Vikram Sarabhai, the father of Indian space program. He was involved in the development of solid propellants for launch vehicles and rockets. He became the director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in 1979 and served till 1985. Under his leadership, India's first launch vehicle SLV-3 achieved a successful flight. He also established the Solid Propellant Space Booster Plant over 5,500 acres of land. He was appointed as the secretary of the Department of Science and Technology in 1986 and served till 1991. He also became the scientific advisor to the Prime Minister of India from 1991 to 1993. He played a key role in formulating policies and programs for science and technology development in India. He was also instrumental in setting up the National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) and the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS). He was well known for his monsoon forecast model, which was the first indigenous weather forecasting model that predicted the monsoon correctly. He developed a statistical method based on six parameters to forecast the onset, duration and intensity of monsoon in India. His model was widely used by meteorologists and farmers for planning agricultural activities. He was also interested in the field of population studies and wrote several books on population dynamics, fertility control and family planning. He advocated for a balanced population growth that would ensure social and economic development of the country. He received many awards and honors for his achievements in science and technology. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1984 and the Padma Bhushan in 2008 by the Government of India. He also received the Aryabhata Award by the Astronautical Society of India, the FIE Foundation Award by the Institution of Engineers (India), and the Om Prakash Bhasin Award by the Shri Om Prakash Bhasin Foundation. He passed away on 2 January 2015 at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, Pune, India following dengue and urinary tract infections. He is survived by his wife Sudha Gowariker and three daughters Irawati, Ashwini and Kalyani. He is remembered as one of the pioneers of Indian space research and a visionary scientist who made a lasting impact on Indian science and society.