Chandrayaan-2 Lander, Scientists & Business Veterans: A Round-Up Of India's Famous Vikrams

Sep 18, 2019, 09:29:21 AM IST

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V For Vikram

Chandrayaan-2’s Vikram may have been the name on everyone’s lips recently, but here are a host of other famous Vikrams. Read on.

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King Vikramaditya

Some consider King Vikramaditya a part of history, some think he was just a legend. Vikramaditya ruled over parts of India in the 1st century BCE, and popular culture credits him with starting the Vikrama Samvat era in 57 BCE. He is featured in hundreds of traditional Indian legends, including the popular Vikram and Betaal, which is based on Baital Pachisi. In the collection of short stories, originally written in Sanskrit, King Vikramaditya promises a sorcerer that he will capture a celestial spirit, Betaal. The spirit tricks the king into answering his riddles before flying away. The spirit agrees to captivity only after finally stumping Vikramaditya with the 25th riddle.

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Vikram Seth

Regarded as one of the most influential writers of modern times, poet and novelist Vikram Seth is the recipient of the Padma Shri and Sahitya Akademi Award, among other honours. Born in Calcutta to Prem Nath Seth, an executive with a footwear company, and Leila Seth, the first woman chief justice of a state High Court in India, Seth pursued higher studies at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, Stanford University and Nanjing University. His A Suitable Boy is said to be one of the longest English novels. Seth was one of the leading voices in the fight against Section 377 of the IPC.

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Vikram Sarabhai

Vikram Sarabhai was an Indian scientist, physicist and astronomer. Called the father of the Indian space programme, Sarabhai was the founder of the Physical Research laboratory in 1947 and was instrumental in the establishment of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1969. Other notable institutions he is credited with establishing include the Indian Institution of Management Ahmedabad and Nehru Foundation for Development in Ahmedabad. He received the Padma Bhushan in 1966 and posthumously received the Padma Vibhushan in 1972.

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Vikram Batra

Captain Vikram Batra was a member of the Indian Army, who was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra. He died fighting Pakistani forces during the Kargil war in 1999 at the age of 24. Also known as Sher Shah, Captain Batra recaptured Peak 5140, located at an altitude of 17,000 ft, and Peak 4875.

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Vikram Pandit

Vikram Pandit is the current chairman and CEO of The Orogen Group, a financial services company based in New York. He was the CEO of Citigroup from 2007 to 2012 and was the one who had steered the bank out of a financial catastrophe. While Pandit said the decision to leave was his own, according to some news reports, his departure was said to be the consequence of months of tension over a range of issues. Pandit was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2008.