Dr. Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai was the father of India's space technology. A man of indefatigable energy, DR. Sarabhai left his impress on varied fields of human eneavour. All oveer the country, from KAshmir to Kerala, there stand a number of institutions of learning, research and experimentation which bear witness to his great vision, his devotion to the cause of national advancement and his dedication to promotion of knowledge. Dr. Sarabhai was born at Ahmedabad on 12th August, 1919. After his early education, he joined the St. John's College of Cambridge University where he took his tripos in Natuarl Sciences. Thereafter he worked as a rsearch scholar in the field of cosmic rays at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. In 1947, he received a doctorate from Cambridge with a thesis on "Cosmic Ray Investigations in Tropical Laatitudes."

In 1962, Dr. Sarabhai took over the responsibility of organizing space research in India and became the Chairman of the Indian National Committee for space Research, (INCOSPAR) set up by the Deptt. of Atomic Energy. He was primarily responsible for setting up the Thumba Equatorial Rockeet-Launching Station and initiated a programme for the manufacture of French Centaure sounding rockets in India. He was the moving spirit behind the manufacture of Indian Rockets at Thumba; "Rohini" and "Menaka" are among the Rockets produced there. Vikram Sarabhai combined the best of being modern and "Indian", blended aesthetics with Science and consistently canvassed the true rolee of the administrator as am innovator rather than as a conservator. A arm human being, he remained a sinsitive man intensely responsive to the beauty of life around him. Despite his stupeendous orkload, he could take time off to see squirrels nd birds. He was plucked aay, like Homi, Bhabha whom he succeeded, just as new fieelds were opening up as a result of his ideas and exertions.

The P & T department considers it their privilege to bring out a commemorative stamp on the occasion of his first death anniversary of this beloved son of India. The stamp depicts his portrait set against a background of a Rohini Rocket in action afteer being launched from thee Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station near Trivandrum.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India