ISRO chief Madhavan Nair awarded Doctor of Science degree

He was presented the degree and a medal at the 47th convocation of IIT-B by Chairman of the Board of Governors Anil Kakodkar.

Nair, during his tenure as ISRO Chairman, oversaw 25 successful satellite and launch vehicle missions, including the "most remarkable" achievement of sending a spacecraft to the Moon -- Chandrayaan I, said the citation read by IIT Director Prof Devang Khakhar.

The Chairman of Space Commission is also a leading technologist in the field of rocket systems and the architect of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, which has helped India establish end-to-end capability in remote sensing, he said.

During his tenure as Director of Liquid Propulsion Centre from 1995-1999, India's efforts towards indigenous development of cryogenic technology took concrete shape, vital infrastructure was built and critical technologies developed, the IIT director said.

He is providing guidance in undertaking new technology developments related to launch vehicle, spacecrafts for communication, remote sensing and applications programmes to meet societal needs, he said.

In the international arena, Nair has led the Indian delegations in negotiations with many space agencies and countries, especially France, Russia, Brazil and Israel and has been instrumental in working out mutually beneficial international cooperative agreements, Khakhar said.

He has headed the Indian team to the United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space since 1998, the citation read.

Nair's focus has always been to achieve self-reliance in high-technology areas and to bring the benefits of space technology to national development, especially targeting the needs of the rural and poor sections of the society, the IIT Director said.