Kamlesh Lulla, a
Baroda (India) lad, is director of the University Research, Collaboration and
Partnership office at NASA’s Johnson Space
Center (JSC), Houston, Texas (US). He has co-authored the book
‘Wings In Orbit’, which talks about various innovations made at NASA over the
last 30 years. He has also been awarded the highest honour at NASA as
Exceptional Achievement Medal in 2005. Ellison Onizuka Award received in 2012
is another feather in his hat.
Lulla’s inspiration for space science
dates back to the year 1969, when he first heard the Voice of America radio
broadcast of Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon. Lulla went to the M.S.
University of Baroda and did dual bachelor's in biology and chemistry in 1968
and 1969. He did master's in 1972 and doctorate in 1976 in environmental
science and ecology from the same University.