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 age
Eknath 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. His first professional experience was with All India Radio, but his interest in science soon took him to the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad.PRL had been founded by Vikram Sarabhai, who was working to establish a scientific base for India’s future space research. It was at PRL that Chitnis became involved in the early work that would eventually connect him with the country’s space programme.
The scientist who worked with Vikram Sarabhai
Chitnis was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1985 for his contributions to science.
At PRL, Chitnis contributed to research in space physics. He built Cerenkov Counters, instruments used to study cosmic rays. He later collaborated with the research group of Professor Bruno Rossi at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The work helped establish his scientific credentials before he returned to India in the early 1960s.His association with Sarabhai became important during the early years of India’s space programme. Chitnis was involved in shaping Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR), which was established in 1962 and later developed into ISRO. The early programme was not simply about sending rockets into space. Sarabhai and his colleagues saw space technology as a way to address practical needs in a developing country, including communications, education and scientific research. Chitnis became part of that effort.
How he helped select Thumba for India’s first rocket launches
One of Chitnis’s important contributions came during the search for a suitable location for India’s first rocket launch site. His fieldwork and scientific assessment helped lead to the selection of Thumba in Kerala. The location was important because of its proximity to the Earth’s magnetic equator, making it suitable for atmospheric studies and early space research.Chitnis was instrumental in the selection of Thumba as the site for India’s first rocket launches. The first sounding rocket was launched from Thumba on November 21, 1963. The launch marked an early milestone in India’s space journey. Chitnis later helped identify Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh as a launch site, which would eventually become India’s principal spaceport.
The man who recognised APJ Abdul Kalam‘s potential
One of the most interesting details in Chitnis’s career is his connection with Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. Before Kalam became the scientist who led India’s missile development and later served as the country’s President, he was a young aerospace engineer looking for opportunities in India’s developing space programme.According to a TOI report, Chitnis was credited with recruiting Kalam into ISRO after reviewing his resume and recognising his potential. That decision brought together two important figures in India’s scientific history. Kalam would go on to become one of the country’s most celebrated scientists, while Chitnis continued to work in the development of space applications. The recruitment story is one of the reasons Chitnis’s name has attracted renewed attention after his death.
How he helped bring satellite television to Indian villages
Chitnis’s work was not limited to rockets and launch sites. He also played a role in the effort to use space technology for everyday public needs. As member secretary of INCOSPAR and later as Director of ISRO’s Space Applications Centre, he worked on applications of satellite technology. One of the most significant projects associated with his career was the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment, or SITE.
The experiment that took television to rural India
Chitnis was instrumental in the selection of Thumba as the site for India’s first rocket launches.
The Satellite Instructional Television Experiment was conducted in 1975–76 using NASA’s ATS-6 satellite. The experiment beamed educational programmes to 2,400 remote villages across India. The project demonstrated how satellites could be used to deliver information and educational content to communities that did not have easy access to conventional communication systems. For India, this was an important step towards the wider use of satellite communications. The experiment also became a forerunner to the INSAT programme, which later played a major role in the country’s telecommunications and broadcasting development.
When he won Padma Bhushan in 1985
Chitnis was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1985 for his contributions to science. He also served as chairman of the Press Trust of India and continued his association with academic life. He lectured for decades at Savitribai Phule Pune University. His career therefore extended beyond ISRO and space research. He was involved in science, education and public communication.
A scientist whose work shaped India’s space journey
The story of Indian space research is often told through the achievements of Vikram Sarabhai, Satish Dhawan, APJ Abdul Kalam and later generations of scientists. Chitnis belonged to the generation that helped build the institutions and systems on which those achievements depended. He died in 2025, but the projects he helped develop remain part of the history of India’s space programme.
