Dr. V. Narayanan Appointed as ISRO Chairman and Secretary of the Department of Space
Dr. V. Narayanan, a distinguished scientist with nearly four decades of experience in rocket and spacecraft propulsion, has been appointed as the new Secretary of the Department of Space and Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). His appointment, effective from January 14, 2025, follows the decision by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. Dr. Narayanan will succeed S. Somanath in these key roles. Currently, he serves as the Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) and is known for his significant contributions to liquid and cryogenic propulsion systems. His leadership has been crucial in the development of several important ISRO missions, including the GSLV Mk III and Chandrayaan-3 propulsion systems.
Key Highlights of Appointment
- New Role: Chairman of ISRO, Secretary of the Department of Space
- Effective Date: January 14, 2025
- Tenure: 2 years or until further orders
- Previous Role: Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC)
- Appointed by: Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
Who is Dr. V. Narayanan?
- Joined ISRO: 1984
- Expertise: Rocket propulsion, spacecraft propulsion, and launch vehicle systems
- Current Role: Director of LPSC, Valiamala, Thiruvananthapuram
- Key Contributions:
- Development of GSLV Mk-II & Mk-III
- Chandrayaan-3 propulsion systems
- Gaganyaan propulsion systems
Major Contributions in ISRO
| Area of Work | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Solid Propulsion Systems | Worked on Sounding Rockets, ASLV, and PSLV at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) |
| Liquid Propulsion Systems | Delivered 183 propulsion systems for various ISRO missions |
| Cryogenic Propulsion | Led the C25 Cryogenic Project for GSLV Mk III |
| Chandrayaan-2 & 3 | Chaired the National Expert Committee for Chandrayaan-2 lander crash analysis |
| Gaganyaan Mission | Heads the National Level Human Rated Certification Board (HRCB) for Gaganyaan |
Academic Achievements
- MTech in Cryogenic Engineering from IIT Kharagpur
- PhD in Aerospace Engineering from IIT Kharagpur
- Awarded Silver Medal for academic excellence
- Honorary Doctor of Science from Sathyabama University, Chennai
Awards and Recognition
- ASI Award for Rocket and Related Technologies
- Gold Medal from Astronautical Society of India (ASI)
- ISRO Awards:
- Outstanding Achievement Award
- Performance Excellence Award
- Team Excellence Award
- High Energy Materials Society of India: Team Award
Achievements Under S. Somanath's Leadership
During the tenure of S. Somanath, ISRO has made significant strides in space exploration:
- Chandrayaan-3: India became the first country to land a rover on the Moon’s south pole
- Aditya L1: Launched India’s first solar mission
- Gaganyaan: Conducted the first developmental flight for India’s human spaceflight program
- Mars Orbiter Mission: Successfully launched Mangalyaan
Dr. Narayanan's extensive experience and leadership will continue to drive ISRO’s vision of making India a global leader in space research and exploration.