V Narayanan Appointed as ISRO Chief and Secretary of the Department of Space

ISRO has its new rocket scientist chairperson V Narayanan for the Indian Space Research Organisation, and secretary for the Department of Space while heading the Space Commission as well. Narayanan will take over from S Somanath, whose term ends next week, and ends his major tenure starting from January 14, 2022.

It was the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet that sanctioned Narayanan for the position and with a term of two years in office, his start date is on the 14th of January, 2025.

An Extraordinary Career Spanning Four Years

His career milestones include:

• Early Contributions: ISRO is lucky to have Narayanan on its team; he was part of the organization starting in 1984 at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre working on sounding rocket, ASLV and PSLV projects.

• Cryogenic Engineering Expertise: One year later in 1990 he achieved MTech in Cryogenic Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur which was significant throughout his working experience.

• Leadership in Cryogenic Propulsion: In 1960, Narayanan joined the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), and he worked there as a key person in evolving cryogenic propulsion systems. He is currently assigned the position of director at LPSC.

• C25 Cryogenic Project: In his capacity as the Director, he led the creation of the C25 Cryogenic Stage for the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III), an important new development in India’s space program.

A Visionary Leader for ISRO in the Future

Under Narayanan’s leadership, ISRO is expected to embark on several ambitious missions and projects, including:

• Gaganyaan Mission: A very important though small stride towards attaining the capability of manned space exploration, the first human space flight mission ever conducted by India.

• Chandrayaan-4: A sequel to India’s successful lunar missions, enhancing the colonization of the Moon by the country.

• Mars Mission 2.0: India's second Mars exploration mission, capitalizing on the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan).

• Venus Orbiter Mission: The country’s first attempt at heading towards the mysterious planet of Venus in a broader sense to expand the space agency’s reach towards planetary missions.

• India’s Space Station Development: A long-term crewed orbital study, and the soon-to-be-established indigenous space station are other frameworks that seek to place India at the forefront of the endeavor.

Legacy and Expectations

Narayanan steps into the new post of the ISRO chief when he takes charge of an organization that is already on the cutting edge of technology and science. His term is expected to consolidate India’s profile as a capable nation in space and advanced technology leadership.

Hailing from a background of propulsion systems, and having delivered previous projects for ISRO, Narayanan is equipped to lead the organization to the next level and steer the future developments that will occupy the Indian space sector.

Conclusion

As the new ISRO chief, V Narayanan is poised to lead India into an exciting phase of space exploration. His experience and leadership will be crucial for the success of future missions and solidifying India’s position as a global space leader.