• Bachelor of Sciences from Madras University, India, 1951,
• MS from Banaras Hindu University, India 1953,
• Ph.D. from Gujarat University, India1960,

• Padma Vibhushan (1976)

• D. Litt. (Hon. Causa) from Kannada University, Hampi
• D.Sc (Hons. Causa) from the Universities of:
   
  • 1976 Mysore ,1976 Rahuri, 1981 Calcutta, 1984 Mangalore,
  • 1992 Banaras, 1992 Udaipur, 1993 Tirupati (SV), 1994 Hyderabad (JN)
  • 1994 Madras (Anna University), 1994 Roorkee University,
  • 1995 Punjabi University, Patiala, 1997 Shri Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur, 1999 Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad,
  • 2001 D.Litt. (Hons. Causa) from Kannada University, Hampi,
  • 2002 Ch. Charan Singh University, Meerut,
  • 2005 UP Technical University, Lucknow,
  • 2006 Viswesvaraiah Technical University, Belgaum ,
  • 2007 Indian Institute of Technology - Delhi,
  • 1992 University of Bologna (Italy),

• Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences
• Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy
• Fellow of National Science Academy
• Fellow of Third World Academy of Sciences
• Fellow of the International Academy of Astronautics
• Fellow of Indian National Academy of Engineering
• Fellow of the Astronautical Society of India
• Hon. Fellow of the Aeronautical Society
• Distinguished Fellow Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers
• Hon. Fellow of Indian National Cartographic Association
• Fellow of Broadcasting and Engineering Society of India
• Hon. Fellow Aero Medical Society of India
• Distinguished Fellow of Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad
• Fellow of World Academy of Arts & Sciences, USA.

• 1988 - Chairman, PRL Council, ISRO-DOS
• 2005 - Chairman, Karnataka Science & Technology Academy
• 2007 - Additional Director, Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore
• 2007 President, Centre for Space Physics, Kolkata
• 2006 - 2011 Chancellor, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Unversity, Lucknow
• 2006 - 2010 Member, Central Board of Directors, Reserve Bank of India.
• 2007 - Chairman, Governing Council of Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune
• 1997 - Co-Chairman, Governing Council of National Center for Antarctic & Ocean Research, Goa
• 1984 - 1994 Chairman, Space Commission/Secretary, Department of Space, Government of India & Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Bangalore
• 1981 - 2001 Member, Space Commission, Government of India
• 2001 - 2002 Chairman, Prasar Bharati Board
• 1997 - 2001 Member, Prasar Bharati Board
• 1998 - 2001 Member, National Security Advisory Board
• 1997 - 2000 Chairman, United Nations - Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN-COPUOS)
• 1975 - 1984 Director, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore
• 1994 - 1999 Dr. Vikram Sarabhai Distinguished Professor of the Department of Space
• 1972 - 1975 Project Director, Indian Scientific Satellite Project, Bangalore
• 1969 - 1972 Professor, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad.
• 1966 - 1969 Associate Professor, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad.
• 1963 - 1966 Asst. Professor at S.W. Centre for Advanced Research, Dallas, Texas.
• 1961 - 1963 Post Doctoral Fellow MIT, USA.

• 1986-1992 Vice President, International Astronautical Federation
• 1988 to date President, Committee for Liaison with Developing Nations (CLODIN) of IAF
• 1997-2000 Chairman, UN-COPUOS (United Nations - Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space)
• 1999 President, UNISPACE-III Conference
• 2007 Chairman, 30th International Antarctic Treaty Consultative Committee Meeting
• Organised Special Plenary Current Event Sessions as a part of International Astronautical Federation Congress
• 1987 Use of Space Technology for the benefit of Human Kind, at Brighton (IAF)
• 1988 Space and Drought Management at Bangalore, India (IAF)
• 1989 Space and Flood Management at Malaga, Spain (IAF)
• 1990 Space and Forest Management at Dresden, Germany (IAF)
• 1991 Space and Agriculture Management at Montreal, Canada (IAF)
• 1992 Space and Developing Countries at Washington, USA (IAF)
• 1993 Space and Environment at Graz, Austria (IAF)
• 1994 Space and Rural Development at Jerusalem, Israel (IAF)
• 1995 Space for Education, Health Care and Environmental Monitoring at Oslo, Norway (IAF)
• 1996 Population Dynamics and Management of Urban Environment at Beijing, China (IAF)
• 1997 Space and Industrial Partnership for Rapid Development, Turin, Italy (IAF)
• 1998 Space in Transitioning Economic Scenario, Melbourne, Australia (IAF)
• 1999 Space Technology for Sustainable Economic Growth, Amsterdam, Netherlands (IAF)
• 2000 Space in the Next Millennium - Towards an Equitable Village at Rio de Jeneiro, Brazil (IAF)
• 2001 Space & Information Technology - From Digital Divide to Digital Bridge at Toulouse, France (IAF)
• 2002 Director - Summer Design Project on "Space for Enhancing Human Health" for the International Space University at Pomona, California (ISU)
• 2002 Space Solutions for Global Problems: Building Partnership with All Stakeholders in Human Security and Development at Houstan, USA (IAF)
• 2003 Space for Enhancement of Carrying Capacity at Bremen, Germany (IAF)
• 2004 National Disaster Management on a Global Scale" at Vancouver, Canada (IAF)
• 2005 Space Education and Capacity Building for Sustainable Development at Fukuoka, Japan (IAF)
• 2006 Use of Space Technology for Water Resource Management at Valencia, Spain (IAF)
• 2007 Space Technology for Poverty Alleviation at Hyderabad, India (IAF)
• President of UNISPACE III Conference, Vienna in 1979
• Led Indian Delegation in COPUOS and S&T Sub Committee of COPUOS from 1980 to 1994, UNISPACE-II in 1982 and President UNISPACE-III in 2000.
• Chairman of the UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (1996-1999)

Published over 360 Scientific and Technical papers in various Journals.
 

• "Perspectives in Communications" (1987), World Scientific Pub. Co. Pvt.Ltd.
• "Space and Agenda 21 - Caring for Planet Earth" (1995) Prism Books Pvt Ltd (Bangalore).
• "Space Technology for Sustainable Development" (1996) - Tata McCraw Hill Pub., New Delhi.