Who is V Narayanan, Appointed as the New Chairman of ISRO?

Defense scientist V Narayanan has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO ) and Secretary of the Department of Space, effective Tuesday.

Narayanan will take office on January 14, succeeding the current ISRO Chairman, S. Somanath.

According to an official order from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, Narayanan has been appointed for a term of two years, or until further notice.

Currently, Narayanan serves as the Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) at ISRO in Valiamala, Kerala .

Who is V Narayanan?

V Narayanan, born in December 1921 in Bengaluru. He graduated with honors in physics in 1943 from Central College, Bangalore, under Madras University.

Narayanan began his career as a trainee in the Radio Department at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited but left after two months to join the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) as a research assistant. There, he worked with Vikram Sarabhai in the research laboratory set up in Pune.

A distinguished scientist with nearly four decades of experience in rocket and spacecraft propulsion, Narayanan joined ISRO in 1984.

Over the years, he held various positions, eventually becoming the Director of LPSC.

In the early phase of his career, he worked on solid propulsion systems for Sounding Rockets, the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV), and the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).

He also contributed to the development of Ablative nozzle systems, composite motor cases, and composite igniter cases. Narayanan is currently serving as the Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), one of ISRO’s key centers, with its headquarters in Valiamala and a unit in Bangalore.

(With Inputs from ANI)