Isro chief cherishes ties with ancestral home

MYSURU: When Kiran Kumar opted to study Physics in college, he may not have guessed it would change the course of his life and eventually put him in the Isro chairman’s post.
The hexagenerian scientist, who took charge of the space agency on Wednesday, was passionate about Science and pursued it intently. Years later, it helped him play a major role in India’s Mars mission.
He hails from Hale Alur near Hassan, 120km from here, and studied at the government primary school at Aralepete, Hassan and then the municipal high school. He studied Physics at the Government Science College before moving to Bengaluru where he graduated from Bangalore University in the early 1970s.
He was into space exploration quite early in life, recollects his relative MS Nagendra, adding, “He was fascinated by Physics and would talk about it passionately.” Nagendra, who retired as executive director of Namma Metro, told TOI that Kiran Kumar believes in simple living and always kept in touch with family members.
Kumar was the youngest of four sons and four daughters. His father AS Mallappa, who served as president of the Hassan town municipality, was a noted advocate. In 1971, he moved with his family to Bengaluru. His family has kept its ties with the ancestral place. Kumar visited the Sri Malleshwara temple at Hale Alur about four years ago. “He interacts with young persons when he visits the village,” said Somanna, a resident of Hale Alur.
Sources said he often visited Isro’s Master Control Facility at Hassan which monitors and controls satellites launched by Isro.