Dr K Kasturirangan, the former ISRO chief who oversaw many space missions, passed away at his residence in Garden City here on Friday. He was 84.

India lost a celebrated space scientist, Padma Vibhushan awardee, and a towering educationist who scripted the latest National Education Policy.

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According to an ISRO spokesperson, Dr Kasturirangan passed away on Friday morning at his residence in the Garden city. His body will be kept in Raman Research Institute, Bangalore, for paying last respects on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

Kasturirangan, a celebrated scientist who overcame many challenges to lead many a space mission in the country, was tasked with his most challenging task: preparing the National Education Policy (NEP) by the Modi government.

For the former Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and a man who held many key posts in his lengthy career, Kasturirangan also wore the hat of a parliamentarian with a stint in the Rajya Sabha and also was a member of the Planning Commission as it existed then.

It took Dr Kasturirangan three years of toil, endless conversations with teachers, industry bodies, scientists, and people from rural India to come up with an education policy that would serve every section of the society, and prepare the nation for all-round development of the nation.

The NEP was released in 2020, with salient features like a 4-year graduate programme, attention to skill-based learning in schools and colleges, and bringing textbook-based learning and vocational learning closer.

The much-celebrated scientist and academician was honoured with Padma Vibhushan. He had headed a panel that went into the school syllabus for carrying out necessary modifications. Known as a strict, objective academician, he was thought to be the most apt person to head the education panel.

Those who worked with him during that phase reportedly praise his non-controversial education policy he delivered. Barring criticism on the language issue, the policy has been largely appreciated.

Dr Kasturirangan was associated with ISRO for some 35 years and headed the organisation from 1994 to 2003, and after retiring from office, was nominated to the Rajya Sabha for six years in the year 2003. Along with Rajya Sabha stint, he was also the director of the National Institute of Advanced Studies.

Dr. Kasturirangan was responsible for directing the Indian Space programme for over 9 years, as Chairman of ISRO and the Space Commission and as Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Space, before laying down office on 27 August 2003.

He was earlier the Director of ISRO Satellite Centre, overseeing the development of new generation spacecraft, the Indian National Satellite (INSAT-2) and the Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS-1A and 1B) as well as scientific satellites.

The UPA government regime had made him a member of the Planning Commission in 2009, and he was in the planning body till 2014. His services were availed by the Karnataka government, which made him the head of the Karnataka Knowledge Commission in 2008. He was associated with the leading educational institutions, including the JNU in some or the other capacity.