Qualifications 
B.Sc. with Honours (Physics), 1961, Bombay University
M.Sc. (Physics), 1963, Bombay University with specialization in Electronics
Ph.D. (Astronomy & Astrophysics), 1971, Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Gujarat University

Career
Project Director, Bhaskara-I, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore; 1976-80
Project Director, Bhaskara-II, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore; 1979-83
Project Director, IRS-1A, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore; 1980-89
Associate Director, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore.; 1986-89
Director, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore, 1990-March 94
Chairman, Space Commission/Secretary, Department of Space, Govt. of
India and Chairman, ISRO, Bangalore; April 1994-August 2003
Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), Aug. 2003-
Director, NIAS; 31 March 2004-August 2009
Member, Planning Commission, Government of India, September 2009-

Special Positions
Hon. Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific
Research, Bangalore; 1995-
Hon. Professor, S V Univeristy, Tirupati; 1995-
Hon. Professor, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad; 1997-
Hon. Patron of the South Indian Education Society, Mumbai, 2001-

Special Roles
· President, Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE); 2005-2006
· President, Indian Academy of Sciences; 2001-2003
· Chairman, Council of Indian Institute of Science (IISc); 2004 onwards
· Chairman, Board of Governors, IIT Madras; 2000-2005
· Chairman, Council of Raman Research Institute (RRI); 2000-2010
· Chairperson, Research Council of National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore; 2001-2003
· Member, Board of Governors of IIT, Roorkee, 2001-2003
· General President, Indian Science Congress 2002-03
· Chairman, Governing Body of the United Nations Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia-Pacific, India; 1995-2003
· Member - Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet (SAC-C), 2000-
· Chairman, Governing Council of Aryabhata Research Institute of
· Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital, 2004-
· Member, Economic Policy and Reforms Council, constituted by Government of Rajasthan, 2004-
· Member, Governing Board, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore, 2007-
· Member of Upper House of Indian Parliament, 2003 onwards

Fellowships/Memberships (National)
· Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences (FASc).
· Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy (FNA).
· Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences of India (FNASc).
· Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (FNAE).
· Fellow of the Astronautical Society of India (ASI)
· Fellow of the National Telematics Forum (NTF)
· Fellow of Indian Meteorological Society (IMS)
· Founder Member of the Astronomical Society of India (ASI).
· Distinguished Fellow of the Institution of Electronics and Telecommuncation Engineers (IETE).
· Honorary Fellow, Aeronautical Society of India (ASI)
· Honorary Fellow, Kerala Academy of Sciences (KAS)
· Honorary Fellow, Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers (IICE)
· Life Member, Indian Physics Association (IPA).
· Life Member, Indian Society of Remote Sensing (ISRS)
· Life Member, Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA)

Fellowships/Memberships (International)
· Member of the International Astronomical Union (since 1982).
· Member of the International Academy of Astronautics (since 1985).
· Fellow of the Third World Academy of Sciences (since 1996).
· Honorary Fellow, Cardiff University, UK (since 2006)

National Awards
· Shri.Hari Om Ashram Dr.Vikram Sarabhai Prerit Award (1981).
· Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in Engineering Sciences (1983).
· Shri.Om Prakash Bhasin Foundation Award (1988).
· Dr.K.R.Ramanathan Memorial Gold Medal for 1995 conferred by Indian
· Geo-Physical Union (1995).
· FIE Foundation's 1995 National Award (1996).
· G.P.Chatterjee Memorial Award of ISCA (1997)
· M.P.Birla Memorial Award in Astronomy (1997).
· Goyal Award conferred by Goyal Foundation (1997)
· Biren Roy Memorial Lecture Medal of the Indian Physical Society, Calcutta (1998).
· Vidya Ratna National Award of Subbaram Trust, Bangalore (1999)
· Shri Murli M.Chugani Memorial Award for Excellence in
· Applied Physics of Indian Physics Association (1999)
· H.K.Firodia Award for Excellence in Science & Technology by
· H.K.Firodia Memorial Foundation (1999)
· IGU Millenium Award by Indian Geophysical Union (1999)
· M.N.Saha Birth Centenary Award for 1999-2000 conferred by 87th Indian
· Science Congress (2000)
· 'Aryabhata Medal Award 2000' conferred by Indian National Science Academy, Calcutta (2001)
· '4th Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati National Eminence Award' by South Indian Education Society, Mumbai on 28/12/2001 (2001)
· 'Rathindra Puraskar' by Visvabharati, Santiniketan (2002)
· 'V.Krishnamurthy Award for Excellence' conferred by Centre for Organisation Development, Hyderabad (2002)
· 'G.M.Modi Award' for outstanding contribution in innovative Science, conferred by Gujarmal Modi Science foundation, New Delhi (2002)
· 'Bhoovigyan Ratna Award' from Bhoovigyan Vikas Foundation, New Delhi (2002)
· 8th National Science & Technology Award for Excellence by the Jeppiaar Educational Trust, Chennai (2003)
· '6th Ram Mohan Puraskar 2003' awarded by Ram Mohan Mission, Calcutta (2003)
· 'Asutosh Mookerjee Memorial Award' by the Indian Science Congress, Chandigarh (2004)
· 'Man of the Year' award by the Centenarian Trust, Chennai (2004)
· 'Prof. M.N.Saha Memorial Lecture Medal 'of the National Academy of Sciences of India, Jaipur (2004)
· 'Life Time Contribution Award in Engineering' for 2004 by Indian National Academy of Engineering, Delhi (2004)
· 'Balvantbhai Parekh Gold Medal 2005' for life-time Achievements in Space Science by The Indian Planetary Society, Mumbai (2005)
· 'Aryabhata Award 2003' by Astronautical Society of India (2005)
· 'Lakshmipat Singhania - IIM Lucknow National Leadership Award 2006' by Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow (2006)
· The Jewel of Ruia Award by Ruia College Alumni Association, Shikshana Prasaraka Mandali's Ramnarain Ruia College, Dec. 2007
· Maharana Udai Singh Award 2007-08 by Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation, Udaipur, 2008

International Awards
· Award of Intercosmos Council of the Soviet Academy of Sciences (1981).
· International Collaboration Accomplishment Award 2001', conferred by International Society for Air Breathing Engines (ISOABE) , Bangalore (2001)
· 'ISPRS Brock Medal' instituted jointly by ISPRS and ASPRS, Istanbul, Turkey (2004)
· Allan D Emil Memorial Award of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), Vancouver, Canada (2004)
· 'Lifetime Achievement Award' of the Asia-Pacific Satellite communications Council, Singapore (2005)
· Theodore Von Karman Award by International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), France (2007)

Honours
D.Sc (Honoris Causa) conferred by Banaras Hindu University (1994), Andhra University (1995), S.V. University, Tirupati (1996), Sri Krishna Devaraya University, Ananthpur (1998), Anna University, Chennai (1998), Roorkee University, Roorkee (1999), IIT, Bombay (2000), Chatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur (2000), Gurunanak Dev University, Amritsar (2001), University of Calcutta, Calcutta (2002), Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi (2003), Panjab University, Chandigarh (2003), Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belgaum (2004), Alagappa University, Karaikudi (2006), Mysore University, Mysore (2007), SRM University, Chennai (2008)

National Recognition
· Padma Shri (1982).
· Padma Bhushan (1992).
· Padma Vibhushan (2000)

International Recognition
· Award of 'Officer of the Legion d'honneur' by the President of the French Republic, France (2002)
· Academician of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Vatican City (2006)
· Trustee, Nehru Trust for Cambridge University (2007)

Important Roles in International Bodies
· Vice President (Scientific Affairs), International Academy of Astronautics (2003-2005)
· Member, International Academy of Astronautics Sub-Committee on Mars Exploration (1992-93).
· Indian Representative, IEEE Space Panel ( 1992).
· Chairman, COSPAR Panel on Space Research in Developing Countries (1994-2000)
· Member, COSPAR Bureau (1994-2002).
· Chairman, International Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) (1997-98).
· Chairman, Senior Officials Committee of UN-ESCAP Meet (1999-2000) leading to DELHI DECLARATION.
· Member, Board of Trustees of the International Academy of Astronautics, Paris (2001-)
· Member, Advisory Board of International Space University (ISU), Strassbourg, France
· Co-Chairman, International Academy of Astronautics Study Committee on "Space for Peace" (2002-2003)

General
· Publications - around 250 papers, both in National and International journals.
· Books Edited - NINE
· Chairman/President/Member of a number of National Committees, Research Institutions and other bodies.
Delivered nearly 286 public and memorial lectures, which includes 4th J.R.D.Tata Memorial Lecture convened by ASSOCHAM, New Delhi, M.N.Saha Memorial lecture of the National Academy of Sciences and J.C.Bose Memorial lecture at the Royal Society of London, Third Dharbhari Seth Memorial Lecture at TERI, New Delhi, Indira Gandhi Memorial Lecture at the Asiatic Society, Kolkata and K R Narayanan Oration at the Australian National University, Canberra, 28th Vikram Sarabhai Memorial Lecture, Ahmedabad Management Association, Ahmedabad, Prof. D.S.Kothari Memorial Lecture at University of Delhi, Delhi; Foundation Day Address on Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore

Publications

U R Rao and K Kasturirangan (1979). The Aryabhata project. Indian Academy of Sciences.

U R Rao, K Kasturirangan, K R Sridhara Murthi and Surendra Pai (1987). Perspectives in communications. World Scientific.

M G Chandrasekhar, B L Deekshatulu, V Jayaraman, George Joseph, R L Karale, K Kasturirangan, S Krishnamurthy, K Radhakrishnan, Guest Editors (1991). Remote sensing for National Development. Current Science special issue

R K Varma, K Kasturirangan, U S Srivastava and B H Subbaraya (1992). Space- in pursuit of new horizons. (A Festschrift for Prof U R Rao) Allahabad: National Academy of Sciences

Role of Developing countries in ground based experiments in support of space observations for global and regional studies (COSPAR Journal 'Advances in Space Research, edited by K Kasturirangan and R R Daniel, (1996)

K Kasturirangan and R K Kochhar. The Geocentric planets

K Kasturirangan. Human connectivity through space In: Science and Technology for Achieving Food Economic and Health. Section V edited by U R Rao

Problems of space science research: education and the role of teachers. COSPAR Journal 'Advances in Space Research', edited by K Kasturirangan, J L Fellous, S C Chakravarthy, R S Young and M J Rycroft. (1997)

P.S.Desai, H. Honnegowda, K.Kasturirangan, Ocean Research in India : Perspective from Space, Current Science, Vol.78, No.3, February 10, 2000

K.Kasturirangan, My Forays into Space, The Khailshanker Durlabhji Memorial Oration, 2000

Kasturirangan K , A New Space-based Observatory to Explore the Universe, Published in the Annals of the INAE, Vol.II, Dec 2005

Kasturirangan K, Science and Technology of Imaging from Space, Published an article in the Current Science, Vol.87, No.5, pp 584-601, 2004

K Kasturirangan, Science and Technology - A Unique Instrument for National Integration, Indira Gandhi Memorial Lecture, The Asiatic Society, Kolkata, 2005

K Kasturirangan, 'India's Space Enterprise - A Case Study in Strategic Thinking and Planning, Dr.K.R.Narayanan Oration, Australia South Asia Research Centre, at the Australian National University at Canberra, Austrail, 20 July 2006 and reprinted by Pub. and Public Relations Unit, ISRO, Bangalore

K Kasturirangan, Space technology for humanity: A profile for the coming 50 years, Vol. 23(2), 156-166, Aug. 2007, ScienceDirect, Space Policy;
www.elsevier.com/locate/spacepol

K Kasturirangan and M B Rajani (Eds), Special Section: Indian Space Programme - A Multidimensional Perspective, Current Science, Vol. 93, No. 12, 25 December 2007

At NIAS
As Director of National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bangalore, was involved in providing direction to the activities of this Institute which is involved in multi-disciplinary research and conduct of project. The Institute has presently research activities in the areas of natural sciences, social sciences and humanities. Further, it has also a unit involved in strategic and security related studies.