Dr. Surendra Pal

 Dr Pal joined Indian Space Research Organisation in 1971 after a brief tenure at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.  Dr Pal pioneered the   Microwave, Antenna & RF communication activities at the ISRO Satellite Centre at its inception. He was responsible for the development of all Indian Satellite onboard Telecommunication Systems, starting from Aryabhat to IRS, INSAT, GSAT, Low Earth Orbit series of spacecraft and Chandrayan. The team created by him worked for MARS-Orbiter Mission (Communication System). He is also responsible for pioneering satellite-based navigation activities in India.  

 

He spearheaded the Indian Satellite Based Wide Area Augmentation System - GAGAN (GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation System) from infancy to blossom an Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) for aviation activities for civilian & restricted users.(GAGAN SYSTEM is operational after certification by DGCA for civil aviation. IRNSS four satellites are in orbit).  He is the originator of Satellite Navigation Programme in India.  These two programme initiated by him, will have huge technological impact and benefit to a host of GNSS users in the Asia Pacific Region and Indian Security Services.  During his 42 years career of ISRO, he developed many innovative technologies, which were even now are new for other world space agencies: One example is Satellite based spherical phased array, transmitting signals in two beams over two ground stations for orbiting satellite like IRS.

 

Dr Pal is widely respected for his technical knowledge and the same, in his various areas of expertise, has been utilized by a number of  national and international organizations, viz; (i)INMARSAT/ICO(UK) for LEOSAT Mobile Satellite Communication definition and also responsible for  the development of Satellite Hand Held Antenna System for ICO(UK), (ii) International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for defining Regional African Satellite Communication System,Dr(iii) Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, on X-Sat etc.Dr Pal was on the United Nations panel of experts on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and Chaired/participated in various UN meetings at Vienna, Geneva and at other international venues. He also developed various antennas for DRDO.

 

Dr Pal   a Distinguished Fellow of IETE, Fellow of Indian National Academy of Engineering, Indian National Academy of Sciences, Fellow  IEEE(USA), IET(UK), MIAA((Paris), FVEDA, MASI & has received more than twenty two national and international awards that includes Vikram Sarabhai , Om Prakash Bhashin , ISRO Excellence  & NRDC awards .   Besides these, he holds patents for his various inventions.   IEEE (US) announced its top level awards and him to be the recipient of the prestigious IEEE-2010 Judith A. Resnik Award.  He is the 1st Indian national and 1st Professional to get this prestigious award east of France.  In August 2012 he has been awarded the coveted: BITS Pilani Distinguished Alumni Award by Shri Kumar Mangalam Birla in the Category of Professional Management of Business, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to society. Dr Pal has published/presented more than 220 papers in international, national journals and conferences of repute, one book on communications & guided number of PhD students. He is a Distinguished Visiting Professor of Indian National Academy of Engineering. Presently he is on the Distinguished Lecturer Programme of IEEE-USA. Under the IEEE- DLT Scheme, he has delivered invited talks, lectures and tutorials on antennas, GNSS, Space and RF communications at NTU Singapore, NASA & IEEE-Houston (USA), Bradford University UK, University of Cape-Town, Stellenbosch University, Cape Peninsular Technical University, CSIR-Dept of Science and Technology Republic of South Africa. He was also a Senior Adviser on ICT curriculum and other academic matters to newly formed Institute of ICT-Ahmadabad University Gujarat and BITS Pilani. Dr Pal is Honorary Professor of a number of Indian Universities.