Quote of the Day by Vikram Sarabhai: We must be second to none in the application of advanced...

Vikram Sarabhai believed India's space programme should not simply compete with advanced nations, but use science and technology to solve the country's real problems.Quote of the Day by Vikram Sarabhai: We must be second to none in the application of advanced...“We must be second to none in the application of advanced technologies to the real problems of man and society.”The quote captures the central idea behind Sarabhai's vision for India's space programme. At a time when India was still building its scientific and technological capabilities, he argued that advanced technology should have a clear purpose: improving the lives of people and contributing to national development.The statement is reproduced in Sarabhai's official biography on the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) website.ABOUT VIKRAM SARABHAIVikram Ambalal Sarabhai was born on August 12, 1919, in Ahmedabad. He studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge and later completed his PhD in cosmic ray physics. After returning to India, he worked with Nobel laureate C V Raman at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru. In 1947, at just 28, Sarabhai founded the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad. He went on to play a central role in building India's space programme and is recognised by ISRO as the founding father of India's space programme.THE IDEA BEHIND HIS WORDSFor Sarabhai, space research was not an end in itself. ISRO records that he saw the potential of space technology to address India's developmental challenges. His vision included using satellites for communication, education, meteorology and remote sensing. The Space Applications Centre says Sarabhai planned to use satellite television to take education to remote villages and wanted space technology to contribute to national development.This approach was different from treating space exploration merely as a race between nations. Sarabhai wanted India to develop sophisticated technology while keeping its applications connected to the needs of ordinary people.FROM VISION TO INDIA'S SPACE PROGRAMMESarabhai's efforts helped lay the foundations for the Indian space programme. The Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was established in 1962, while ISRO was formed on August 15, 1969.He also helped establish several institutions, including PRL, the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and the Community Science Centre. WHY THE QUOTE STILL MATTERSSarabhai's message was ultimately about purposeful innovation. Being technologically advanced, in his view, mattered most when that technology could address real challenges.His words remain closely linked to the philosophy of India's space programme: develop advanced capabilities, but ensure that science and technology serve society.- EndsPublished By: Princy ShuklaPublished On: Sep 19, 2026 08:30 IST