Meet ISRO's New Chief: Dr Narayanan, a Chandrayaan-2 Problem Solver "My father was a farmer, and my mother a homemaker. My father lost his father when he was just five years old, which changed his life at a very young age. My father is my role model. He ensured that all of us had a good education," Dr. Vanniyaperumal Narayanan expressed
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
A farmer's son will once again lead the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the next two years. The newly appointed Secretary of the Department of Space and Chairman of ISRO, Dr. Vanniyaperumal Narayanan, will take over from the current head, S. Somanath, on January 14, 2025.
"My father was a farmer, and my mother a homemaker. My father lost his father when he was just five years old, which changed his life at a very young age. My father is my role model. He ensured that all of us had a good education. They slogged day in and day out on the farm so that we could all go to school and college. It was not easy for them, and I saw the struggle of our parents," Narayanan expressed in the media.
Dr. Narayanan, who is currently serving as the Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Thiruvananthapuram, is an accomplished Indian aerospace engineer and rocket technologist with great academic excellency.
Industry experts anticipate that his appointment will bring a blend of expertise in both rockets and satellites to the leadership of ISRO.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Narayanan's appointment marks a departure from tradition, as his four immediate predecessors were former directors of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), ISRO's premier rocket technology facility.
"LPSC is a centre which provides propulsion systems for both rockets and satellites. I feel Narayanan is the first chairman who has a commonality with both systems," M Annadurai, the former director of Isro's satellite centre and mission director for Chandrayaan-1 said in the media.
Academic excellency and accolades
The first rank holder in Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Narayanan completed his MTech in Cryogenic Engineering and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering at IIT Kharagpur.
Joining ISRO in 1984, he initially contributed to the Solid Propulsion systems for key projects like the PSLV and ASLV, focusing on advanced materials and components.
He has been the recipient of numerous prestigious accolades, including the Silver Medal from IIT Kharagpur for securing First Rank in M.Tech., the Gold Medal from the Astronautical Society of India (ASI), and the ASI Award for Rocket and Related Technologies.
He is also a distinguished Fellow of several eminent institutions, including the Indian National Academy of Engineering, the Institution of Engineers (India), the Indian Cryogenic Council, and the Aeronautical Society of India.
Developing indigenous cryogenic technology
His career took a transformative turn in 1989 when he began working on cryogenic propulsion at the LPSC. Dr. Narayanan played a critical role in developing indigenous cryogenic technology, establishing India as a leader in this advanced field. He was instrumental in designing and testing subsystems, including gas generators and thrust chambers, and led the successful development of the C25 Cryogenic Propulsion System for the GSLV Mk-III, which became a key milestone in India's space exploration capabilities.
As Director of LPSC from 2018, Dr. Narayanan oversaw the delivery of liquid propulsion systems for 41 launch vehicles and 31 satellite missions. His leadership in advancing liquid, semi-cryogenic, and electric propulsion systems significantly contributed to India's growing prowess in space technology.
Contribution in Chandrayaan Missions
Experts believe that one of the main reasons Narayanan has been appointed as the new ISRO chairman, instead of the current VSSC chairman Dr. S. Unnikrishnan Nair, is his significant contribution to the success of Chandrayaan-3, India's first successful robotic moon landing in 2023.
Narayanan played a key role by leading a committee that investigated the Chandrayaan-2 crash in 2019 and developed strategies to overcome the issues, which ultimately ensured the success of Chandrayaan-3.
"We thoroughly studied the problems in Chandrayaan-2 and submitted a report to resolve the problems. The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft was realised after incorporating changes that were recommended and this resulted in the success," Narayanan said after the landing of the Chandrayaan-3 mission in 2023.
ISRO 2025 and beyond projects
Narayanan steps into his role at a pivotal time for India's space program. Under his leadership, we will witness the launch of the NISAR satellite, a joint Earth-observation mission by ISRO and NASA. Scheduled for the second quarter of 2025, NISAR aims to revolutionize environmental research by delivering unparalleled data on land surface changes and ecosystem dynamics.
ISRO will also launch its first-ever privately built Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) this year. This marks a monumental step toward fostering private sector participation in India's space industry, paving the way for an era where private players become key contributors to the nation's space ambitions.
He will also lead India's journey toward human space exploration with the Gaganyaan mission—ISRO's flagship mission.
Gaganyaan project will launch a crew of 3 members to an orbit of 400 km for a 3 days mission and bring them back safely to earth, by landing in Indian sea waters. As of now we don't have exact data of the launch but it is expected to launch in 2026.
However, he has to successfully launch unmanned crew modules for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission using the specially designed LVM3 rocket before sending astronauts into space.
This mission is a part of a meticulous strategy to achieve India's first crewed spaceflight, a feat that will place the nation among an elite group of spacefaring nations.
Also, the Chandrayaan-4 landing mission to recover moon matter and the successful commercialisation of ISRO's small satellite launch vehicle will be among the challenges for Narayanan during his tenure.
"My wife and children are always a huge source of inspiration for me. My wife especially is a very constructive critic. She is a good friend and guide to me. We are a simple, god-fearing family. I have not forgotten my roots, the paths of my struggle, and the lessons learned from my life," Narayanan said in the media.
