K. R. Ramanathan

Kalpathi Ramakrishna Ramanathan (28 February 189331 December 1984) was an Indian physicist and meteorologist. He was the first director of the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad. From 1954 to 1957, Ramanathan was President of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG). Ramanathan was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1965 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1976.

Early life Ramanathan was born in Kalpathi, Palakkad to Ramakrishna Sastrigal, an astrologer, printer and Sanskrit scholar. After completing secondary school, he entered the Government Victoria College, Palakkad in 1909. In 1911, he received a government scholarship to attend the Presidency College, Madras, where he studied for a B.A. (Hons.) degree in physics.

Physical Research Laboratory Having reached the statutory retirement age of 55 in 1948, Ramanathan left the Indian Meteorological Department that year and joined the newly established Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad as its first director. He established Dobson ozone spectrophotometer stations in India and expanded on his earlier researches into atmospheric ozone; among his major contributions to the field was elucidating the relationship of atmospheric ozone in connection to atmospheric circulation. During his time at the PRL, he and his students made important contributions to studies on the physics of the ionosphere. Under Ramanathan's directorship, the PRL also played an important role in building the early Indian space programme, notably through testing sounding rockets and helping to develop the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS). Foundation Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy (FNA; 1935) Title of Diwan Bahadur (British Government, 1943 Birthday Honours list) International Meteorological Organization Prize of the World Meteorological Organization (1959). Honorary Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society (Hon. FRMetS; 1960) Padma Vibhushan (1976)

The Kalpathi Ramakrishna Ramanathan Medal was established in 1987 in honor of him by the Indian National Science Academy.