Meet V Narayanan, rocket scientist who is set to succeed S Somanath as new ISRO chief

V Narayanan has been appointed as the next chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Secretary of the Department of Space. He is set to take over from the current ISRO chief S Somanath on January 14.

Narayanan, a distinguished scientist at ISRO, currently serves as the Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Valiamala, Kerala. With nearly four decades of experience in the Indian space programme, he has held several significant positions within ISRO and specialises in rocket and spacecraft propulsion.

An official announcement from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet confirmed that Narayanan will serve in these roles for two years or until further notice. The order from the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions states, "The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of V. Narayanan, Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, Valiamala, as Secretary of the Department of Space and Chairman of the Space Commission for two years starting January 14, 2025, or until further orders."

Having joined ISRO in 1984, Narayanan has significantly contributed to various projects. He is currently responsible for developing liquid, semi-cryogenic, and cryogenic propulsion systems for launch vehicles and overseeing control systems.

In addition to his role at LPSC, Narayanan chairs the Project Management Council-Space Transportation System (PMC-STS), which oversees all launch vehicle projects and programs. He also leads the National Level Human Rated Certification Board (HRCB) for Gaganyaan, India's upcoming human spaceflight mission.

Narayanan's early career included work on solid propulsion systems for sounding rockets and various launch vehicles at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). He earned his M.Tech in Cryogenic Engineering and PhD in Aerospace Engineering from IIT Kharagpur, where he was awarded a Silver Medal for ranking first in his M.Tech programme.

S Somnath has served as ISRO Chief since January 2022 and played a pivotal role in India's historic achievement of landing a rover on the Moon's South Pole region. His tenure will conclude next week as Narayanan steps into his new role.