A taskmaster and a James Bond fan: K Kasturirangan's family, aides recall old times

BENGALURU: A taskmaster and a perfectionist. But at the same time, he loved his food and music. This is how Rajesh Ranjan described his father and former ISRO chairman Dr K Kasturirangan (84), who passed away in Bengaluru on Friday.

“Not many know that my father liked classical music. Along with Carnatic music, he liked Mukesh and Mohammed Rafi songs. During his busy office work at home, he enjoyed music. He was a foodie. His favourite dish was pesarattu and patrode. Every time we would go to a restaurant, he would ask for them. He also liked root vegetables — particularly yam,” recalled 54-year-old Rajesh. He said that though his father was a very hardworking man, he took out time for the family.

“My mother was an Amitabh Bachchan fan... but my father liked James Bond and science fiction. He liked The Day of the Dolphin,” Rajesh added. Dr Kasturirangan lost his wife Lakshmi in 1991.

Dr Kasturirangan’s personal caretaker, PC Chandra, who was with him since 2002, recollected that the former was childlike in nature. “I have not spent as much time with my family as much as I have with him,” Chandra added.

Recollecting the good old times, Dr Kasturirangan’s personal assistant, Brunda Nagarajan, said, “He would say that even after retiring, he did not experience retired life because of the many committees and projects in hand.” She even recalled the time when she was recently reading out the published reports on Aryabhata to Dr Kasturirangan and he was sharing his anecdotes.

Dr Kasturirangan’s medical caretakers, Archana A and Praveen V, said that in the last couple of months he had become physically weak but not mentally. They said that the former ISRO chairman had been eating less for the last couple of days and was confined to his bed but yet did not stop smiling and interacting with others.

“On Friday morning, when we found no movement... he still had a smile on his face. He had peacefully passed away. The end came at 10.43 am and he was declared dead an hour later after a doctor’s examination. His mortal remains were shifted to Manipal Hospitals. His last rites will be conducted after his elder son, Sanjay Ranjan, arrives from US,” the caretakers said.