Renowned Indian rocket propulsion expert and aerospace engineer Dr. V. Narayanan has been appointed the next chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). He holds experience in cryogenic propulsion systems and is mostly recognised for his noteworthy contributions to Indian space missions.
Dr. Narayanan, will be succeeding the current ISRO Chairman S. Somanath.
The Department of Space announced the appointment of Dr. Narayanan on January 7, 2025. On 14 January 2025, he will formally take over as ISRO’s chief. This change in leadership comes at an important time as ISRO continues to ramp up its efforts in satellite technology development, advanced space exploration missions, and global collaborations.
The announcement was made through an official order from the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Personnel and Training which states: “The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shri V. Narayanan, Director. Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, Valiamala as Secretary, Department of Space and Chairman, Space Commission for a period of two years with effect from 14.01.2025″. Here is a detailed biography of Dr. V Narayanan
ISRO Chairman Dr. V Narayanan Early Life and Education Qualification
Dr. Narayanan was born in Melakattu village near Nagercoil in Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu.
Dr. V. Narayanan completed his early schooling in his hometown. He earned the First Rank in the Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (DME). Additionally, he achieved Associate Membership in Mechanical Engineering from the Institution of Engineers (AMIE).
He attended the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur to pursue a Master of Technology (M.Tech) in Cryogenic Engineering. He performed exceptionally well in his M.Tech degree, earning a Silver Medal and First Rank upon graduation. To further demonstrate his proficiency in the area, Dr. Narayanan also has a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering.
ISRO Chairman Dr. V Narayanan Family, Wife & Children’s
V narayanan is the eldest child of late C Vanniyaperumal, and Late S Thangammal. He has three siblings and two brothers. His wife is Kavitharaj NK. Their daughter Divya works as an engineer for an MNC, and their son Kalesh studies computer science engineering.
ISRO Chairman Dr. V Narayanan Professional Career
After earning his Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (DME), Dr. V. Narayanan started working in the private sector. He spent almost a year and a half working for businesses in Trichy and Ranipet, including TI Diamond Chain Ltd., Madras Rubber Factory, and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).
Later he joined the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in 1984, and served a number of positions. In January 2018, he was appointed Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC). He helped create the Solid Propulsion Systems for the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV) and the Rohini Sounding Rockets early in his ISRO career.
Additionally, Dr. Narayanan was the Project Director for the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III) C25 Cryogenic Project. He oversaw the group that created the C25 Cryogenic Stage, which uses liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen to power a 20-ton thrust engine. The GSLV Mk III vehicle was successfully launched on this stage for the first time.
ISRO Chairman Dr. V Narayanan Contributions to Indian Space Missions
Dr. Narayanan has been pivotal in several key Indian space missions. Under his guidance, LPSC developed propulsion systems for the Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 missions, including the L110 Liquid Stage and C25 Cryogenic Stage for the LVM3 propulsion systems. These systems were crucial in transporting the spacecraft from Earth to the Moon’s orbit. He also chaired the National Level Expert Committee that analyzed the Chandrayaan-2 landing and recommended improvements, contributing to the success of Chandrayaan-3.
For the Gaganyaan program, India’s human spaceflight mission, Dr. Narayanan has been involved in human-rating the LVM3 vehicle and developing human-rated L110 and C32 Cryogenic Stages, Environmental Control and Safety Systems, and propulsion systems for the Service and Crew modules. As Chairman of the Mission Readiness Review of the Test Vehicle (TVD1) mission, he oversaw the successful demonstration of the crew escape system.
ISRO Chairman Dr. V Narayanan Awards and Recognitions
Dr. Narayanan’s contributions have been recognised with several awards according to the Liquid Propulsion Systems Center:
- Gold Medal from the Astronautical Society of India (ASI)
- ASI Award for Rocket and Related Technologies
- ISRO’s Outstanding Achievement Award
- Performance Excellence Award
- Team Excellence Awards
- Honorary Doctorate of Science (Honoris Causa) from Sathyabama University, Chennai
- Distinguished Alumni Award (2018) from IIT Kharagpur
- National Design Award (2019) by the National Design and Research Forum of Engineers (India)
- National Aeronautical Prize (2019) by the Aeronautical Society of India (AeSI)