Google Honors Udupi Ramachandra Rao 'Indian Satellite Man'

Google is celebrating the 89th birth anniversary of Indian scientist and professor Udupi Ramachandra Rao with a doodle. Rao, remembered as India's satellite man was an Indian space scientist and president of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

Professor Rao was born in a remote village in Karnataka on March 10, 1932. He began his career as a cosmic ray physicist and protégé of Dr Vikram Sarabhai, a scientist widely regarded as India's space program's father. Rao worked as a US professor and conducted experiments with NASA's Pioneer and Explorer space probes after completing his PhD.

"On his return to India in 1966, Prof. Rao initiated an extensive high energy astronomy program at the Physical Research Laboratory, India's premier institution for space sciences, before spearheading his country's satellite program in 1972," the description on Google Doodle's website reads.

Professor Rao oversaw the 1975 launch of India's first satellite, Aryabhata, one of more than 20 satellites he developed that transformed rural India by advancing meteorological and communication services.

He continued to push India's space program to stratospheric heights as president of the Indian Space Research Organization from 1984 to 1994. He developed rocket technology such as the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), which has launched more than 250 satellites.

Professor Rao became the first Indian to be inducted into the Satellite Hall of Fame in 2013. Professor Rao received the Padma Bhushan award in 1976 and the Padma Vibhushan award in 2017.

The doodle features a sketch of Professor Rao holding a satellite in the Earth's background and shooting stars.