Ex-ISRO chief UR Rao, who played key role in building India's first satellite Aryabhata passes away; 10 facts to know Ex-ISRO chief UR Rao, who played key role in building India's first satellite Aryabhata passes away; 10 facts to know The Internationally Renowned Space Scientist Had A Heart Ailment And Was Recovering At Home After He Was Recently Discharged From A Private Hospital. The Nation And The Space Community From Across The Globe Are Mourning His Death. News Nation Bureau | Edited By : Bindiya Bhatt | Updated on: 25 Jul 2017, 10:18:57 AM New Delhi: Udupi Ramachandra Rao, the former chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), died on Monday following prolonged illness. Popularly known as UR Rao, breathed his last at his residence in Bengaluru at the age of 85.