Rabindranath Recommended Bikram Sarabhai For Doctorate In Cambridge University

Dr.Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai (Doctor Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai). The lifeblood of ISRO. To honor him, ISRO added the name ‘Vikram’ to this historic lunar mission. The lander is named after late Vikram Sarabhai.
‘Vikram’ was the key to landing the Chandrayaan safely on the back of the moon. Successful lunar mission by pressing this lander. ISRO had earlier informed why the lander was named ‘Vikram’. Even in the previous Chandrayaan 2 mission, the name of the lander was this ‘Vikram’.

But do you know, Sarabhai’s contribution to becoming such a great space scientist was also a great Bengali! He is none other than Rabindranath Recommended Bikram Sarabhai. Only one letter written by him brought Sarabhai to the arena of the world. Today, when the words of scientist Vikram Sarabhai are coming back again and again in the days of ISRO’s greatest success, Ravi Tagore’s letter is also becoming more important.

It is known that when Sarabhai graduated from Gujarat College with science and was going to do his doctorate from Cambridge University, Rabindranath Tagore wrote a ‘recommendation letter’ for him there. The photo of that letter has returned to social media today.

At the bottom of this typewritten letter is the signature of Rabindranath Tagore (Rabindranath Recommended Bikram Sarabhai).

Ravi Thakur wrote, ‘I recommend the authorities for admission of Mr. Vikram Sarabhai to Cambridge University. This young man’s immense interest in science will only shine brighter if he gets an opportunity to study at Cambridge. I know him personally, also know about his family’s good education. His siblings are now studying at Oxford. I believe, he is eligible for admission in this university.’

Widely regarded as the father of India’s Space programme, today marks the birth centenary of Vikram Sarabhai. India and ISRO will be marking this day with events in Ahmedabad and Bangalore. Google marked the day with a doodle.

A few interesting facts written by Amrita Shah in her book  “The Indian Space Programme” :

• 1930 – He accompanied Gandhi on his Salt March to Dandi
• 1935 – Got a letter of introduction to Uni of Cambridge from Rabindranath Tagore
• 1942 – Married Mrinalini Swaminathan during a very low key ceremony at her home in Bangalore.
• 1947 – Completed his PhD viva in Manchester England under scrutiny Nobel laureate Professor Patrick Blackett
• 1950s Praful Bhavsar and UR Rao completed their PhD under Sarabhai
• 1961 – Wrote to the Government of India proposing a space satellite programme for India
• 1966 – When Bhabha suddenly, Sarabiz took over as Chairman of the DAE and secretary at the AEC, his first goal was to steer India away from Bhabha’s vision of an India with a nuclear bomb
• 1969 – He signed the MoU with NASA Administrator to initiate the SITE programme which brought satellite TV in 1975 to rural villages in India

News Mania Desk/Through various journals