The Department of Space has established an endowed fellowship at the Graduate Aerospace Laboratories of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in the US.

The fellowship has been established in honour of Prof. Satish Dhawan, who was the Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation during its formative period 1972-1984.

“The fellowship provides an excellent opportunity every year starting from the winter session of the academic year 2013-14 to one meritorious graduating student from the Aerospace Department of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram to be sponsored by the Department of Space, to pursue Masters in Aerospace Engineering at Caltech”, ISRO said.

Prof. Dhawan was an alumnus of the Graduate Aerospace Laboratories at Caltech and obtained his PhD in aerospace in 1951. He was serving as Distinguished Visiting Professor during 1971-72 at Caltech, immediately preceding his assumption of the Chairmanship of ISRO in 1972.

Prof Dhawan was not only a visionary leader of ISRO but also an internationally recognised researcher and a legendary teacher. He was bestowed with the Distinguished Alumni Award by Caltech in 1969, the highest alumnus honour, according to an ISRO statement.

The Government of India honoured Prof. Dhawan by awarding him Padma Vibhushan in 1981.

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