K. Radhakrishnan, former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), was conferred honorary D.Sc. (Doctor of Science) by Mahatma Gandhi University on Tuesday.
Dr. Radhakrishnan is the 11th recipient of the honorary doctorate.
On the occasion, Chancellor and Kerala Governor P. Sathasivam said that by honouring Dr. Radhakrishnan, the university was honouring itself, besides highlighting him as a beacon for the youth to look up to.
It was sheer hard work and dedication that catapulted Dr. Radhakrishan to the present lofty heights.
The Governor laid stress on technological education with a human vision. “Both should be regarded as complementary to each other,” he said, adding that true education involved the blossoming of human personality, the perfect blending of the head and the heart.
“Education is imperfect, incomplete, and deficient if it does not provide the pupil with a very specific purpose in life,” he said.
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Radhakrishnan said the brilliant performance of ISRO in space science and technology was made possible by a unique organisation culture.
Milestone
He said the nation had crossed a major milestone by developing the next generation launcher LVM3 that would free the nation from dependence on foreign launchers for heavy communication satellites.