K. N. Shankara
Koodli Nanjunda Ghanapathi Shankara is a space scientist from India. He was the Director of ISRO's Space Applications Centre (SAC),Ahmedabad and ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC), Bangalore and now working as a senior scientist in ISAC. He was the Director of Satellite Communications Program Office and Program Director, INSAT, and was looking after overall planning and direction of communication satellite program. His work in the field of Design and Development of Transponders led to a boon in India's Communication Satellite Technology.
For his contribution in the field of Satellite Technology, he was awarded Padma Shri by the government of India in 2004. He is said to be the person who conceptualized Chandrayaan, India's first venture to Moon.
Early life
Shankara was born on May 7, 1945. He did his Post-graduation in Physics and received his Doctorate in Electrical Communication Engineering from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore in 1972.
Career
Shankara joined Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad in 1971 to work on the design and development of communication payloads. As Associate Project Director of INSAT- 2A and INSAT - 2B, he was responsible for the development transponders for these satellites. As Group Director at SAC until 1996, he has contributed extensively to orgainze the work in the area of microwave technology and spacecraft electronics.
