Veteran ISRO Scientist Eknath Vasant Chitnis Passes Away at 100

Professor Eknath Vasant Chitnis, a pioneering scientist who played a key role in shaping India’s space programme, passed away in Pune at the age of 100. Handpicked by Vikram Sarabhai, he was instrumental in selecting the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station in Kerala and contributed significantly to India’s early space missions. Chitnis also played a major role in the Indian National Satellite System (INSAT), helping bring television and telecommunications to rural India. Honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 1985, he mentored notable scientists, including A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and served as chairman of the Press Trust of India, leaving behind a lasting legacy in India’s scientific and technological development.