Satish Dhawan: The father of experimental fluid dynamics research in India

On 3rd January 2002 with the death of Satish Dhawan India lost one of its foremost scientists.

Today, we enlist some facts that you might not know about India’s “father of experimental fluid dynamics research”.

Satish Dhawan was born in Srinagar, on September 25, 1920.

He completed his graduation from University of Punjab with a variety of degrees.

• BE in Mechanical Engineering
• MA in English Literature
• BA in Mathematics and Physics

In 1947 Dhawan completed his MS in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Minnesota.

Four years later, the talented engineer pursued his PhD in Aeronautics and Mathematics under Prof Hans W Liepmann. Later, he joined Indian Institute of Science(IISc).

In 1962 he became a Director at IISc.

He helped India in setting up first ever supersonic wind tunnel.

In ten year’s Dhawan took an even bigger leap. He became the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO).

Awards
1971: Padma Bhushan
1981: Padma Vibhushan

Following his death, the Indian satellite launch centre at Sriharikota was renamed to Prof Satish Dhawan Space Centre.