Scientist, Businessman, Visionary Institution Builder

The first time I saw Vikram Sarabhai was in Pune, in 1950. He and Homi Bhabha were giving lectures at the Indian Science Congress, and I was quite impressed by their presentations. I was a student of Physics then. In my Masters, I specialized in Electronics. Since the syllabus for M Sc Wireless was oriented primarily to theory, to make up, we were encouraged to do a Diploma in Electronics. In the Diploma course, we were exposed to the most recent laboratory instruments and procedures. So after my Masters from Pune University, when I went for an interview at ATIRA, the Ahmedabad Textile Industry’s Research Association, for a post related to electronics, I had the advantage ofhandson experience. I was selected by the committee and finally interviewed by Vikram Sarabhai, Director of ATIRA. I asked him if I could work at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) while I was employed by ATIRA. My real desire was to work at PRL. He said, if that was the case, I had to meet K. R. Ramanathan, the Director of PRL, and he organized a meeting for me.