Senior space scientist, Padma Bhushan Dr Eknath Vasant Chitnis, 100, passed away in Pune on Wednesday morning. He made a significant contribution to the formation of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). He had recently turned 100 on July 25. Born in Kolhapur, Chitnis did his schooling in Pune. He completed his graduation in Chemistry and Physics, later completing his diploma course in Radiocommunications.
On the advice of senior scientist Dr Vikram Sarabhai, he left the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US to pursue space research and X-ray research. In the 1960s and 1970s, he did research on X-rays and space research.
He also worked with Vikram Sarabhai in India's space research programme from 1961 and served as the Director of the Space Application Centre. Chitnis had discovered the Thumba site for satellite launch. In 1962, he became the Member Secretary of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR). This organisation later became the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Dr Chitnis played a key role in the design of the INSAT (Indian National Satellite) series of satellites in India's space sector. He did a lot of work to use space technology in educational and other fields.
In the 1970s, Chitnis, along with Prof. Yashpal, was instrumental in implementing the Satellite Instructional Television Education (SITE) project in collaboration with NASA to use space research technology in fields such as agriculture, weather, health, education, telecommunications and entertainment.
Due to this, television sets reached the entire country over time. The Central Government honoured Dr Chitnis with the Padma Bhushan award for his contribution to the field of science.
