Bengaluru: K Kasturirangan‘s sons, Rajesh Rangan and Sanjay Rangan, fondly recalled how their father balanced his demanding career with family life. Despite his hectic schedule, even after long and exhausting days, he would dedicate an hour to reading at home. His unwavering commitment to knowledge, even when tired, was something they deeply admired.
They also shared that their father was a passionate foodie. Sanjay, the younger son who currently lives in the US, said, “He led a normal middle-class life with us, going out to movies and restaurants, but also spent a lot of time travelling for work. Despite that, he always made sure we were taken care of. In his free time, he loved listening to music, especially songs by Mukesh and Mohammed Rafi, as well as Carnatic music. He had a special love for South Indian food.”

The brothers recounted that one of the most challenging times in Kasturirangan’s life was the death of his wife, Lakshmi, in 1991. Despite his immense grief, he never showed his pain outwardly and continued to support his sons in pursuing their higher education.
Rajesh shared, “It has been a revelation for all of us to see how many lives my father touched. Growing up, he always taught us to dream big, set high goals, and strive for the stars. He was not just a great motivator but also an incredibly compassionate and loving father. We miss him dearly. One of the most significant moments in my life was when my mother passed away. He became both father and mother to us, guiding us with a blend of love and strictness.”
Sanjay also recalled a light-hearted memory from childhood: “My mother did most of the caregiving, but she would often use dad’s name to get my brother and me to behave. Sometimes, we would joke that he might be the chairman of Isro or the director of ISAC, but at home, he wasn’t the director — he was just our father. We had to remind him of that, especially when he tried to stick too rigidly to his schedules. It was a life I wouldn’t trade for anything else.”