On January 14, 2025, Dr. V Narayanan will take over as the new chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). He takes over from Dr. S. Somanath, who has been in the role since January 2022, and his nomination represents a major shift in leadership.
Born in Tamil Nadu, Dr. Narayanan has been with ISRO for almost 40 years, having joined the organization in 1984. In 1989, he graduated first in his class with an MTech in Cryogenic Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur. Later, in 2001, he earned his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the same university.
The development of cryogenic technology, which is essential for high-performance rocket launches, has been greatly aided by Narayanan. He
Narayanan was a member of the team that examined the Chandrayaan-2 mission’s failure and put remedial measures in place, which helped Chandrayaan-3 land successfully.
He oversaw the development of India’s own cryogenic engines, breaking over major technological obstacles when Russia refused to grant access to such technology in response to pressure from other countries.
In his capacity as chairman, he will be in charge of important initiatives including the forthcoming Chandrayaan-4 mission and the Gaganyaan human spaceflight program.
The hiring of Dr. Narayanan coincides with ISRO’s readiness for major developments in satellite technology and space exploration. It is anticipated that his experience will help India achieve its lofty objectives, such as building a space station and improving its capacity for deep space travel. K. Sivan, the former chairman of ISRO, affirmed that Narayanan is qualified to guide ISRO into its next phase and commended his background and vision.]
