New Delhi, January 8: The Government of India has appointed V Narayanan as the new Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). He will assume charge on January 14, 2025, succeeding the current ISRO chief, S Somanath. Alongside this role, Narayanan will also serve as the Secretary of the Department of Space and Chairman of the Space Commission.
V Narayanan, a distinguished scientist, has been associated with ISRO for nearly four decades. He is currently the head of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) and has played a pivotal role in developing India’s cryogenic propulsion technology. His expertise in rocket and spacecraft propulsion has earned him recognition as a key figure in Indian space research.
Narayanan has contributed significantly to several landmark projects, including serving as Director of the C25 cryogenic stage project for the GSLV Mk3 launch vehicle. Under his leadership, the ISRO team successfully developed the C25 stage, which was instrumental in advancing the GSLV Mk3 rocket.
Having joined ISRO in 1984, Narayanan started his career at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), working on solid propulsion systems, sounding rockets, and key launch vehicles such as the ASLV and PSLV. A graduate of IIT Kharagpur with a first rank in cryogenic engineering, Narayanan has extensive experience in liquid and cryogenic propulsion systems, which he honed at LPSC.
S Somanath, who took over as ISRO chief on January 14, 2022, will complete his three-year tenure this month. The Cabinet Appointments Committee confirmed Narayanan’s appointment in a notification issued on Tuesday.
