Physical Research Laboratory

The Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) was founded on 11 November 1947 by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, beginning modestly at his residence with research on cosmic rays. It was formally established at the M.G. Science Institute, Ahmedabad, with support from the Karmakshetra Educational Foundation and the Ahmedabad Education Society, and Prof. K. R. Ramanathan served as its first director. Early research focused on cosmic rays and upper atmosphere properties, later expanding into theoretical and radio physics with support from the United States Atomic Energy Commission. A Council of Management was formed in 1950, and an ozone observing station was set up at Mount Abu in 1951. The first building, designed by Achyut Kanvinde, had its foundation laid by C. V. Raman in 1952 and was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1954. PRL developed instruments like Meson Telescopes and Dobson Spectrometers, and established research stations at Gulmarg. It became a hub for rocket payload development in the 1960s. Today, PRL operates under a Council of Management, with a director overseeing scientific divisions including Astronomy & Astrophysics, Solar Physics, Planetary Sciences, Space & Atmospheric Sciences, Geosciences, Theoretical Physics, and Atomic, Molecular & Optical Physics. In 2018, PRL scientists discovered the exoplanet EPIC 211945201b.