Vijay Natraj, Ph.D.

Dr. Vijay Natraj, a Scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), received his B. Engg. and M. Engg. in Chemical Engineering from the National University of Singapore, and MS and PhD in Chemical Engineering from Caltech. He was a Researcher in the Dept. of Planetary Sciences at Caltech from 2007-2010, and is currently a member of the Level 2 algorithms development team for the Orbiting Carbon Observatory mission at JPL. His expertise is in radiative transfer modeling, retrieval techniques, and aerosol/cloud modeling.

Welcome to Taksha Institute!

Originally founded in 1976 by Adarsh Deepak, PhD, as the Institute for Atmospheric Optic and Remote Sensing (IFAORS), TakshaShila Institute (doing business as "Taksha Institute," "Taksha," or "TI") remains a dynamic, not-for-profit [501(c)3] tax-exempt, independent minority institution of advanced research and learning, with the addition of non-technical subject matter, since its inception. As a non-degree giving, non-diploma awarding institution, TI is engaged in cutting-edge research projects and learning opportunities in the form of workshops, seminars, and other events, for all ages (from kindergarten to life-long learning), for personal or professional growth and enhancement.

Incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia (US), Taksha has its headquarters in Hampton, VA, with a West Coast/Silicon Valley, CA office. From its inception, TI has been supported entirely by R&D meetings management contracts with the federal government, industry, and UN organizations; the collection of registration fees for events; and donations from industry and private parties.

As a 501(c)3 not-for-profit educational institution, your charitable contribution to Taksha Institute is tax deductible, and any registration fees, sales, or other income go to the support of our education and research programs and projects. Please consider making a tax-deductible gift to Taksha to help support our unique programs, and click here or on the "Contribute to Taksha" button on the navigation bar above!

Registration is Easy! Admission is open, test-free, and regardless of education, gender, age, race, or religion. To sign up for our events, simply click on the appropriate button to the left or on the "Events" tab on the banner above, then locate and click on the event of your choice. There, you will find pertinent information for that event, including dates, venue, fees, and agenda, along with a registration link or other registration instructions.

Want to Know More?

Click on a tab or button on this page for more information, or contact us at contact@taksha.org.