V Narayanan assumes charge as new ISRO chief, succeeds S Somanath

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: V Narayanan has assumed charge as the chairman of ISRO, replacing S Somanath, the Space Agency said. In a statement, the ISRO said, "Dr V Narayanan, Distinguished Scientist (Apex Grade), assumed the charge of Secretary, Department of Space, Chairman, Space Commission and Chairman, ISRO on the afternoon of January 13, 2025." Prior to this, Narayanan served as the Director of ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), a key facility responsible for the development of propulsion systems for launch vehicles and spacecraft.

He also played a pivotal role as the Chairman of the National Level Human Rated Certification Board (HRCB) for the Gaganyaan programme, India's ambitious human spaceflight mission. A veteran scientist, Narayanan joined ISRO in 1984 and has contributed significantly to India's space missions over the decades. He became the Director of LPSC in January 2018, cementing his reputation as a leader in rocket and spacecraft propulsion technologies. Narayanan hails from a humble background and is an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, where he completed his M.Tech in Cryogenic Engineering and PhD in Aerospace Engineering. Awarded the Silver Medal for securing the first rank in his M.Tech programme, he has also received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2018 and the Life Fellowship Award in 2023 from IIT Kharagpur.

Before joining ISRO, Narayanan worked for a brief period at TI Diamond Chain Ltd., Madras Rubber Factory, and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) at Trichy and Ranipet. Over his 40-year tenure at ISRO, including seven years as Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), he has made groundbreaking contributions to India's space programme. "When India was denied the cryogenic technology for GSLV Mk-ll vehicle, he signed the engine systems, ," ISRO said.