Brief biographical sketch of Pramod Kale –

Pramod Kale, born on 4th March in 1941 at Pune, was student of Fergusson College in 1956-1958. Later he went to M. S. University, Vadodara for his B. Sc. Physics degree which he obtained in 1960. He obtained his M. Sc. Physics (Electronics) degree in 1962 from Gujarat University, Ahmedabad. Pramod Kale had worked with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for over thirty-two years (1962-1994) during which he held various leadership positions. He started his work on satellite tracking at the Physical Research Laboratory - PRL, Ahmedabad in 1960 and was a member of the first team sent to Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA, USA for training in launching sounding rockets in 1963 and establishing the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station – TERLS. The first rocket flight took place in 1963 from TERLS on 21st November 1963. He had worked as a Research Student with Dr. Vikram Sarabhai at PRL, Ahmedabad for three years 1962 – 1965.

Some of his notable assignments and positions in ISRO / DOS were – Head, Electronics Division (Satellite Systems), Space Science and Technology Center, Thiruvananthapuram. Project Manager, (Electronics and TV Hardware); Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE), SAC, Ahmedabad Project Director; INSAT 1 Space Segment Project, Bangalore Mission Director, ISRO Payload Scientist Mission Director; Space Applications Center (SAC), Ahmedabad Director; Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram

He had been active in teaching at the Gujarat University for the Post Graduate Diploma course in Space Science and Applications. He is continuing to give lectures on Space Communications Systems for the students at CSSTEAP program at the Space Applications Center. He had delivered a large number of lectures on Space Communications, Remote Sensing and Water for the Countrywide Class Room of UGC and these were transmitted by Doordarshan. After retirement from ISRO, he worked for a few years with Global Wireless Technology Ltd. -GWTL as Head, Microwave Antenna Division and Executive Director in Pune. GWTL was responsible for the establishment of the Satellite Communication system for Maharashtra Government. He was also Director, Global Information Technology Academy. He now devotes his time as an educationist, promoting science education for children from different strata of society and also spends time with social work and community service. He was executive chairman, Muktangan Exploratory Science Center of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Pune Kendra from 2006 to 2010. He was responsible for further development of the Exploratory and establishing one sub centre. He was a trustee of the Indian Institute of Education. He was for some time Vice Chairman and Chairman; Board of Trustees of the Indian Institute of Education (IIE); Pune. During his career Pramod Kale has been honored with many awards and recognition. Some of them include –

- Shri Hari Om Ashram Prerit Vikram Sarabhai award in 1975 - Padmashri in 1984 - R L Wadhwa Gold Medal of the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunications Engineers –IETE 1990 -Bharat Jyoti award given by Front for National Progress in 1999 ‘Aryabhatta’ award of the Astronautical society of India in 2006. - Microwave Pioneer award 2014 by International Symposium on Microwaves, Bangalore - ‘Jeevan Sadhana Gaurav’ award 2016 by Savitribai Phule Pune University. - Pune’s Pride award for Excellence in Academics given by Residency Club, Pune in January 2019

He has published over twenty papers in national and international journals. He has authored a book, ‘Colours in Nature’ in 2011. He is currently President, Community Aid and Sponsorship Program (CASP) a nationally and internationally renowned NGO working in the area of support to children and community. He is also President, Vasundhara Trust. He is currently Director; ICIT Pvt. Ltd. Pune since August 2002. ICIT has operationalized Post graduate level Certificate Courses developed by Department of Electronic Science, Pune University.

INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS - Fellow and Past President, Indian Society of remote Sensing Fellow and Past President, Indian Society of Geomatics Fellow, Gujarat Science Academy Life Member and Fellow, Maharashtra Academy of Sciences Life member & Fellow, Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers - IETE Life Member, Computer Society of India Founder Life Member and Director, Indian Society for Advancement of Material Processing and Engineering - ISAMPE Fellow and Life Member, Astronautical Society of India President, 1996, Marathi Vignan Parishad Former Trustee, Vikram Sarabhai Memorial Trust, Ahmedabad Management Association Former Member, Governing Council, Information and Library Network, UGC, Former Member, Council for Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (CMAS), IMD, Govt. of India. Life Member, Indian Association of Physics Teachers Life Member, Indian Institute of Education Executive Chairman, Muktangan Exploratory Science Center till Dec 6, 2010 Former Member, Rajiv Gandhi Science and Technology Commission, Maharashtra Government.

Pramod Kale Flat No. 511, Building B, Athashri Baner, Baner, Pune 411045

Mob. Tel. 91 9822053377 Email [email protected]