Aryabhata’ was my happiest moment, Rao had told students

“We have always been proud that such an eminent scientist studied in our school. We always tell our students to emulate him,” says Helen V. Salins, Headmistress of Christian High School at Udupi, about their most illustrious alumnus, former ISRO chairman U.R. Rao, who passed away on Monday morning.

She recalls he had last visited their school about 15 years ago. Born in Admaru village of Udupi district, Dr. Rao had his early education at the Board School and Christian High School in Udupi. Later, the family moved to Ballari, Anantapur, and other places.

After retiring from ISRO, Dr. Rao visited Udupi a few times, including as chairman of Karnataka State Science and Technology in Udupi. He participated in the student-scientist interaction at Poornaprajna College here in January 2015.

He told students that creating the satellite, Aryabhata, in the sheds of Peenya for two-and-a-half years, and its successful launch was one of his happiest moments.

“We were all excited about it. If you are not excited about something, you will not achieve anything great,” he had said.

A.P. Bhat, Head of the Department of Physics, Poornaprajna College, Udupi, who interacted with Dr. Rao several times, recalled that students had made a small rocket during the student-scientist interaction.

While the rocket took off, the parachute which was to open did not. “He told the students to not be disheartened and encouraged them to carry on with their dreams,” he said.

Admar Sripati Acharya, CPI(M) leader and convener of Joint Council of Trade Unions, who lives in Udupi, said that the space scientist was against blind beliefs and superstitions.

At Ballari


At Ballari, Dr. Rao was a student of Wardlaw High School in the early 1940s. After a brief gap, he returned to Ballari to join Veerashaiva College in 1947 to study intermediate in physics, chemistry and mathematics.

As a student, he was a frequent visitor at the house of Srinivas Achar, well known as “Meenakshi Seenappa”, an owner of the once famous Meenakshi Bhavan. The family has fond memories of the young Rao. Last year, in September, Dr. Rao wrote to Achar’s son K. Seetharam, an advocate, recalling how Achar helped him pursue studies and become a space scientist. Dr. Rao visited Ballari many times over the years, always making it a point to visit his old jaunts, said Mr. Seetharam.