A commemorative postage stamp on the 1^st Death Anniversary of Dr. Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai, father of India‘s space programme :

Issued by India

Issued on Dec 30, 1972

Issued for : The P & T department considers it their privilege to bring out a commemorative stamp on the occasion of the first death anniversary of this beloved son of India.

The stamp depicts his portrait set against a background of a Rohini Rocket in action after being launched from the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station near Trivandrum.

Description of Design : The design of the stamp is horizontal and depicts the portrait of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai. Near the portrait a Rohini Rocket is seen in action after being launched from the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station near Trivandrum and at the right hand side. a “Peace Dove” is shown.

Type : Stamp, Postal Used

Colour : Brown and Green

Denomination : 20 Paise

Overall Size : 3.91 X 2.90 cms.

Printing Size : 3.56 X 2.54 cms.

Perforation : 13 x 13

Watermark : Printed on unwatermarked adhesive stamp paper

Number Printed : 30,00,000

Number per issue sheet : 35

Printing Process : Photogravure

Designed and Printed at : India Security Press

Name : Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai

Born on Aug 12, 1919 at Ahmedabad, Bombay Presidency, British India

Died on Dec 30, 1971 at Halcyon Castle, Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

About : 

• Dr. Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai was the father of India’s space technology. A man of indefatigable energy, Dr. Sarabhai left his impress on varied fields of human endeavour. All over the country, from Kashmir to Kerala, there stand a number of institutions of learning, research and experimentation which bear witness to his great vision, his devotion to the cause of national advancement and his dedication to promotion of knowledge.
• Dr. Sarabhai was born at Ahmedabad on 12^th August, 1919. After his early education, he joined the St. John’s College of Cambridge University where he took his tripos in Natural Sciences. Thereafter he worked as a research scholar in the field of cosmic rays at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. In 1947, he received a doctorate from Cambridge with a thesis on “Cosmic Ray investigations in Tropical Latitudes.“
• In 1962, Dr. Sarabhai took over the responsibility of organizing space research in India and became the Chairman of the Indian National Committee for Space Research, (INCOSPAR) set up by the Deptt. of Atomic Energy. He was primarily responsible for setting up the Thumba Equatorial Rocket-Launching Station and initiated a programme for the manufacture of French Centaure sounding rockets in India. He was the moving spirit behind the manufacture of Indian Rockets at Thumba; “Rohini” and “Menaka” are among the Rockets produced there.
• Vikram Sarabhai combined the best of being modern and “Indian”, blended aesthetics with Science and consistently canvassed the true role of the administrator as an innovator rather than as a conservator. A warm human being, he remained a sensitive man intensely responsive to the beauty of life around him.
• Despite his stupendous workload, he could take time off to see squirrels and birds. He was plucked away, like Homi Bhabha whom he succeeded, just as new fields were opening up as a result of his ideas and exertions.

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