Władysław Turowicz

Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz (; 23 April 1908 – 8 January 1980), usually referred to as W. J. M. Turowicz, was a Polish-Pakistani aviator, military scientist and aeronautical engineer.

He was one of 45 Polish officers and airmen who joined RPAF on contract in the early 1950s. After completion of his initial contract, Turowicz opted to stay on in Pakistan and continued to serve in the Pakistan Air Force. Turowicz was the administrator of Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), which leads the national space programme, from 1967 to 1970.

Turowicz made significant contributions to Pakistan's missile/rocket program as a chief aeronautical engineer. In Pakistan, he remains highly respected as a scientist and noted aeronautical engineer.

Early life and education Turowicz was born to an aristocratic family in the village of Wadziejewsko in Siberia (Russia) in 1908, where he graduated from high school. The Polish name of the village may suggest it was inhabited by Poles who were exiled or imprisoned by the Tsar, as it was unusual for Polish aristocrats to live in Siberia for non-political reasons.

From an early age on, Turowicz was fascinated by aviation technology and had collected different models of aircraft. Due to this passion, he moved to Warsaw where he attended the most prestigious engineering institute, the Warsaw University of Technology (WTU) in 1930, majoring in aeronautical engineering; upon graduation, he received his PhD with honours in 1936. He completed an MSc in astrodynamics in 1937 from the same institution. with whom he would have 4 children. He completed an MSc in astrodynamics in 1937 from the same institution. Tamgha-i-Pakistan (1967) Sitara-i-Khidmat (1967) Sitara-e-Quaid-e-Azam (1971) Sitara-e-Imtiaz, (Mil) (1972) Abdus Salam Award in Aeronautical Engineering (1978) ICTP Award in Space Physics (1979)

Sitara-e-Imtiaz (SI)Sitara-e-Pakistan (SPk)Sitara-e-Quaid-e-Azam (SQA)Sitara-e-Khidmat (SK)Sitara-e-Khidmat (SK)Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War (War Medal 1965)Tamgha-e-Jamhuria (Republic Commemoration Medal)

19561939-1945 StarDefence MedalWar Medal 1939-1945Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal

(1953)Order of Merit Of Poland

(Poland)Cross of Merit with Silver Swords

(Poland)

Foreign decorations