UPSC Prelims 2001 Q25: Science & Technology – Space Technology & Astronomy
Who amongst the following was the Chairman of ISRO when INSAT - 3B was launched?
- (a) Anil Kakodar
- (b) Abdul Kalam
- (c) K. Kasturirangan
- (d) U. R. Rao
Answer: (c) K. Kasturirangan
Explanation
Chairman of ISRO when INSAT-3B was launched
| ISRO Chairman | Term |
|---|---|
| U. R. Rao | 1984-1994 |
| K. Kasturirangan | 1994-2003 — INSAT-3B was launched on 22 March 2000 by Ariane-5 |
| G. Madhavan Nair | 2003-2009 |
| A. P. J. Abdul Kalam / Anil Kakodkar | Never ISRO Chairman (Kalam led the SLV-3 project; Kakodkar headed the Atomic Energy Commission) |
INSAT-3B, the first of the INSAT-3 series, went up in March 2000, when K. Kasturirangan was Chairman of ISRO.
Answer: (c) K. Kasturirangan.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Anil Kakodkar headed the Atomic Energy Commission, not ISRO.
- (b) Incorrect. Abdul Kalam was never Chairman of ISRO.
- (c) CORRECT. Kasturirangan was ISRO Chairman from 1994 to 2003.
- (d) Incorrect. U. R. Rao's term ended in 1994.
Key point
ISRO Chairmen: Sarabhai, Menon, Dhawan, Rao, Kasturirangan, Madhavan Nair, Radhakrishnan, Kiran Kumar, Sivan, Somanath, Narayanan.
Remember
INSAT-3B (2000) = ISRO Chairman K. Kasturirangan.
Common mistakes
- Choosing Abdul Kalam because of his space work.
- Choosing Anil Kakodkar, a nuclear scientist.
- Not dating the INSAT-3B launch to 2000.
Exam tip
Date the event, then match it to the chairman's term.
Sources
- ISRO — INSAT-3B spacecraft page (isro.gov.in)
- ISRO — Former Chairmen (official page)