Eminent space scientist Dr Eknath Vasant Chitnis, who laid the foundation for India's space programme and brough television to rural homes, passed away in Pune on Wednesday, Oct 22.

He was 100 years old, the scientists family members said, and died due to a heart attack in the morning. He was also unwell for past several days.

Architect of India's space journey

Regarded as one of the architects of India's space research efforts, Dr Chitnis played a central role in shaping the early years of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR), which later evolved into the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

He served as the Member Secretary of INCOSPAR and contributed to framing the blueprint for India's first space programmer under the guidance of Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the

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