On clear nights, satellites pass overhead silently, invisible to the eye, yet the images they capture shape life on Earth. These images are far from abstract data; they help warn communities before floods arrive, guide farmers on when to irrigate or harvest, track forest fires as they spread, and locate ships or people during disasters. They influence how governments manage borders, how cities develop, and how scientists monitor climate change.

“Most people never think about where these images come from. But when a flood warning comes early, or a rescue team finds someone in time, it usually begins with a satellite image,” says Sanjay Kumar.

At the centre of every satellite image are the ‘eyes’ of the satellite, primarily sophisticated cameras and sensors that collect light and heat and turn them into information we can use. For many years, even though India became known around the world for launching satellites, these eyes were mostly brought in from other countries, controlled by foreign suppliers and strict export rules. 

While India had strong launch technology and growing satellite and drone programmes, the most important parts that actually capture the images, the electro-optical sensors, were still mostly imported.

“That meant we could put satellites into space, but we did not always fully control what they could see, or when they could see it,” explains Manoj Kumar Gaddam. This gap is now being addressed by a laboratory in Hyderabad, where three engineers who once worked on restoring human eyesight are building India’s own eyes in orbit.

Sanjay Kumar, Manoj Kumar Gaddam, and Punit Badeka did not meet at a space agency. Instead, they crossed paths at the LV Prasad Eye Institute. Their work there revolved around an intensely human challenge, helping doctors see more clearly inside the living eye. They all entered space optics through very different routes.

Sanjay’s journey began at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, followed by a master’s degree in photonics and optics at IIT Madras. A project that involved developing a handheld imaging device for eye surgeons drew him into applied optics. At LV Prasad, he worked on adaptive optics systems that correct tiny distortions in real........

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