On January 7, 2025,
Dr. V. Narayanan
was appointed as the next Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization. He will take over from the present Chairman of ISRO, S. Somanath on January 14, 2025. The impact that Dr. Narayanan is going to make at ISRO is especially great since the organization is making strides in advanced space exploration, satellite technology, and human space missions. His leadership has been considered a precious asset at this critical juncture for India’s space program.
ISRO’s new chairman Dr. V. Narayanan: Early life and academic background
Born in the Melakattu village of Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu, initial schooling was held there, after which his remarkable performance in mechanical engineering earned him the prestigious title of First Rank Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (DME). Further, he was also awarded the Associate Membership in Mechanical Engineering by Institution of Engineers-AMIE.
He went on to study at IIT Kharagpur where he did M.Tech. in Cryogenic Engineering. There, at IIT Kharagpur, at the time of completion of M.Tech. he bagged a Silver Medal and was graded first in class while graduating with that degree. These two instances testify to his sharp acumen regarding the field of cryogenics. Besides that, he has done a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering; this happened to be a particular area in which he has done significant work professionally.
Dr. V. Narayanan: Professional career and contributions at ISRO
During his tenure at ISRO since 1984, his career graph picked up very well with some outstanding contributions in the area of rocket propulsion. He has worked in the private sector for many years, having served organizations such as Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), TI Diamond Chain Ltd., and Madras Rubber Factory.
It was not long when joining ISRO made Dr. Narayanan one of the pivotal players in multiple Indian space missions. He was selected as Director, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in January 2018, from which he could play a major role in creating propulsion systems for the plethora of missions planned. These included the Solid Propulsion Systems for Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV) and the Rohini Sounding Rockets, which were part of the earliest efforts by ISRO in terms of space exploration.
Dr. Narayanan was also Project Director for the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III) C25 Cryogenic Project. His leadership was the driving force in the development of the C25 Cryogenic Stage, which saw the successful launch of the GSLV Mk III. The GSLV Mk III launch, powered by the C25 Cryogenic Stage, marked a significant milestone for ISRO.
In addition to working on the Joint Polar Satellite System and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, Dr. Narayanan has worked on many other important space missions. While he was at the head of the LPSC, he worked with the development of cryogenic propulsion systems for the Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 missions. His center has devised the L110 Liquid Stage and C25 Cryogenic Stage for sending spacecraft into the lunar orbit of the Moon. Dr. Narayanan helped in the reanalysis and tailoring of landing strategy for the Chandrayaan-2, which was particularly useful in enhancing success for Chandrayaan-3. Dr. Narayanan had worked on human-rating the LVM3 vehicle, developed cryogenic stages, and ensured safety systems for the service and crew modules in his work in India’s human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan. Leadership in overseeing the Mission Readiness Review of the Test Vehicle (TVD1) mission played the most critical role in the successful demonstration of the crew escape system, an important component of India’s ambition in human space exploration.
Dr. V. Narayanan: Awards and recognition
Dr. Narayanan’s achievements have gained him extensive recognition in the aerospace and space research community. He has been a recipient of numerous prestigious awards such as the Gold Medal from the Astronautical Society of India (ASI) and the ASI Award for Rocket and Related Technologies. His outstanding contributions and services have also been recognized by ISRO with Outstanding Achievement Award and Performance Excellence Award.
Apart from that, in 2018, Dr. Narayanan received an Honorary Doctorate of Science (Honoris Causa) from Sathyabama University, Chennai and Distinguished Alumni Award from IIT Kharagpur. In the year 2019, he received the National Design Award from the National Design and Research Forum of Engineers, India and the National Aeronautical Prize from Aeronautical Society of India.
Dr. V. Narayanan’s leadership and future prospects of ISRO
Dr. Narayanan’s joining ISRO comes at a critical juncture in the exploration of ISRO when it is scaling up its capabilities in satellite technology, space exploration, and international partnerships. Such leadership within the topics of rocket propulsion and human spaceflight are expected to help the ISRO reach heights that are still pending. The future of the organization would depend a lot on the skills and experience that Dr. Narayanan brings into the agency, as ISRO looks forward to new frontiers in space exploration, projects like Gaganyaan, and strengthening global collaboration.
Dr. Narayanan was destined to chart the future for ISRO that will push it to greater strides into global communities in the advancement of space research for years to come, when with all experience related to propulsion systems and space missions under his belt. He was destined to witness continuous innovations and technology evolution of the budding space program in the country.
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