Meet Eknath Chitnis, the man who helped build ISRO and backed a young APJ Abdul Kalam
Professor Eknath Vasant Chitnis, a foundational figure in India's space program and a close associate of Vikram Sarabhai, has passed away at age 100. His career spanned early research at the Physical Research Laboratory to helping establish the foundations of what would become ISRO.
Why it matters
Recognizing the contributions of early pioneers is essential for understanding the historical development of India's current global standing in space exploration.
India's space programme has produced some of the country's best-known scientists, but not every name associated with its early years is equally familiar. Professor Eknath Vasant Chitnis was one of those lesser-known figures whose work helped shape the foundations of Indian space research. Chitnis was a founding pioneer of India's space programme and a close associate of Dr Vikram Sarabhai, widely regarded as the father of India's space programme. Chitnis died at the age of 100 on October 22, 2025. His life offers a look at the scientists who helped build India's space programme before it became the global name it is today.Losing his parents at a young ageEknath Vasant Chitnis was born on July 25, 1925, in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. He lost both his parents at a young age and was raised by his grandmother. He went on to study physics in Pune.
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