"He was a great personality": AS Kiran Kumar on former ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan's demise

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], April 27 (ANI): Former Indian Space Research Organisation chief A S Kiran Kumar on Sunday expressed grief over the demise of his predecessor at the ISRO K Kasturirangan.
Kumar said that he had known Kasturirangan for 50 years, and he was a great personality. Kumar stated that Kasturangan had a strong ability to articulate things and the country will not forget his contributions.
"... I have known him for 50 years... He was a great personality... He had a tremendous capability to articulate things. The country can not forget his contributions... We all miss him. A leader of that kind is not easy to come by... We have all greatly benefited from his guidance and his mentoring", AS Kiran Kumar told ANI.
Kasturirangan was accorded state honours at his cremation in Bengaluru on Sunday. He died at 84 on April 25.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today paid tribute to the former ISRO Chairman under whose leadership, he said, ISRO had gained a new identity, further stating that the space programs brought under the guidance of Kasturirangan had brought global recognition to India's efforts.
Addressing the 121st episode of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Modi said that the Kasturirangan had the quality of prioritising innovation, further stating that his ability to learn something new was inspiring.
"His contribution to science, education and taking India's space program to new heights will always be remembered. Under his leadership, ISRO gained a new identity. The space programs that progressed under his guidance brought global recognition to India's efforts. Many of the satellites that India uses today were launched under his guidance," PM Modi said.
"Another remarkable aspect of his personality which the younger generation can truly learn is the importance he gave to innovation and the vision of learning and doing something new which is truly inspiring," the PM further said. (ANI)