Chairperson of the Indian Space Research Organisation

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Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation
Indian Space Research Organisation Logo.svg
Logo of ISRO
DrVNarayanan ISROHQ 15012025.png
Incumbent
V Narayanan
since 14 January 2025
TypeChairman
StatusHead of the Indian Space Research Organisation
Reports to Prime Minister of India
AppointerACC of Government of India
PrecursorChairman of Indian National Committee for Space Research & Secretary, Department of Space
Inaugural holder Vikram Sarabhai
Formation1963 (as chairman of INCOSPAR)
Salary₹2.5 lakh (US$2,900) (Monthly basic) [1]
Website Chairman ISRO, Secretary DOS

The Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation is the statutory head of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The officeholder is a secretary to the Government of India and an executive of the Department of Space (DOS) which directly reports to the Prime Minister of India. [2]

Contents

The Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was founded in 1962 under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) with Vikram Sarabhai as its chairperson which in 1969 became ISRO. [3] In 1972, government of India had set up a space commission and DOS and brought ISRO under DOS. [4]

Since Sarabhai has assumed the position, there have been eleven chairmen of the ISRO, with Satish Dhawan serving the longest term of 12 years as the chairman.

Recently on 8 January 2025, The Central Government has appointed Dr V Narayanan, currently the director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Thiruvananthapuram, as the new chairperson of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and also as the secretary of the Department of Space.

List of chairpersons of ISRO

No.PortraitName
(Lifespan)		TermRef(s)
StartEndTerm length
1 Dr Vikram Sarabhai ISRO.webp Vikram Sarabhai
(1919–1971)		196319718 years [5]
Founder of INCOSPAR and widely regraded as father of Indian space program. his efforts led to creation of Indian Space Research Organisation.
2 Prof M G K Menon.jpg M. G. K. Menon
(1928–2016)		January 1972September 19729 months [6]
He was notable mostly for his work on cosmic rays and particle physics particularly on the high-energy inter-actions of elementary particles.
3 S Dhawan official Portrait ISRO.webp Satish Dhawan
(1920–2002)		1973198412 years [7]
Satish Dhawan is known for his work on fluid dynamics and his tenure as longest serving chief of ISRO. His era marked with India attaining orbital launch capability in 1980 for the first time and start of INSAT program which became base for further development of spacecraft technologies.
4 U R Rao ISRO.webp U. R. Rao
(1932–2017)		1984199410 years [8] [9]
Also served as chancellor of Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology; Rao pushed for launch vehicle development which subsequently lead to realisation of PSLV and later GSLV rockets, marked as key boosts to India's space capabilities. Launch capabilities with INSAT program eventually turned India into a major spacefaring nation.
5 K. Kasturirangan (cropped).jpg K. Kasturirangan
(1940– )		199427 August 20039 years [10]
His era marked development of improved spacecraft in INSAT series and development of IRS series of remote sensing satellites and major improvements in earth observation satellite technologies. His tenure also saw operationalisation of PSLVs and first flight of GSLV which made India self sufficient launching its smaller & medium EO satellites.
6 ji-maadhv[?]-naay[?].jpg G. Madhavan Nair
(1943– )		1 September 200329 October 20096 years, 58 days [11]
Nair holds significant expertise on development of multi-stage launch vehicles and his era witnessed operationalisation of various variants of PSLV rocket. His tenure saw commencement of Indian Human Spaceflight Programme and launch of extraterrestrial exploration mission Chandrayaan-I. Following a controversial S-band spectrum deal involving Antrix Corporation, he had to step down.
7 K Radhakrishnan 2013 2.JPG Dr. K. Radhakrishnan
(1949–)		30 October 200931 December 20145 years, 62 days [12] [13] [14]
He joined VSSC as a development engineer for electro-mechanical devices of launch vehicles and later oversaw annual budget and plans and database for resources. Introduction of IRNSS made India one of few countries with own navigation systems while introduction of GSLV Mk III later enabled India to launch its heavier satellites also. His era also witnessed successful launch and orbital insertion of Mars Orbiter Mission, India's first mars mission and cancellation of collaboration with Russia and redefining Chandrayaan-2 with Indian design and systems. Successful flight of India's own cryogenic stage on GSLV-D5 made it one of six countries with full launch capabilities. [a]
- Shailesh Nayak (cropped).jpg Shailesh Nayak
(1953– )		1 January 201512 January 201511 days [15]
He was primarily engaged studies related to oceanography and remote sensing and served as interim chief of ISRO for a brief period of 11 days.
8 A. S. Kiran Kumar (cropped).jpg A. S. Kiran Kumar
(1952– )		14 January 201514 January 20183 years, 0 days [16]
His tenure is attributed with HEX which marks with beginning of development of reusable-launch vehicle, first orbital flight of GSLV Mk III, completion of NAVIC and launch of Astrosat, India's first space based observatory.
9 K. Sivan (cropped).jpg K. Sivan
(1957– )		15 January 201815 January 20224 years, 0 days [17]
He earlier served as director of VSSC and LPSC and participated in development of PSLV rockets. His tenure was marked by the Chandrayaan-2 project which resulted in a failed Moon landing. His tenure also saw the acceleration of India's crewed space program. Short-term goals include launch of Chandrayaan-3 to attempt a successful soft lunar landing, putting humans in space, launching missions to Venus and the Sun and development of SCE-200 rocket engine to facilitate realisation of India's heavy lift launch vehicle and increase commercial operations. He is also known for developing trajectory simulation software named SITARA which is still in use by ISRO.
10 S. Somanath, Director of VSSC, ISRO, speaks during the Heads of Agency Plenary of the 70th International Astronautical Congress (cropped).jpg S. Somanath
(1963– )		15 January 202213 January 20252 years, 364 days [18]
Somanath is known for his contributions to launch vehicle design, particularly in the areas of launch vehicle systems engineering, structural design, structural dynamics, and pyrotechnics. [19] [20] He also served as the Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram and [21] Director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, Thiruvananthapuram. [22] He was associated with the PSLV project and was the project director of GSLV Mk III in 2010. In his tenure in 2023, India successfully launched Chandrayan-3 and successfully made a soft landing in the south pole making it the first country to make a successful soft landing in the south pole. [19]
11 DrVNarayanan ISROHQ 15012025.png V Narayanan
(1964– )		14 January 2025Incumbent10 days
V Narayanan is known for his contributions to launch vehicle engine, particularly in the areas of launch vehicle engine engineering. [23] [24]

See also

Notes and references

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References

  1. ↑ Report of the Seventh Central Pay Commission (PDF). The Gazette of India (Report). Department of Expenditure. November 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  2. ↑ "Space commission". Department of Space. Archived from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  3. ↑ "Mangalorean.Com- Serving Mangaloreans Around The World!". mangalorean.com. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  4. ↑ "Department of Space and ISRO HQ - ISRO". Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  5. ↑ "Welcome To ISRO :: Former Chairman :: Dr. Vikram Sarabhai - Introduction". isro.org. Archived from the original on 14 November 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  6. ↑ "Welcome To ISRO :: Former Cha". isro.org. Archived from the original on 11 February 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  7. ↑ "Welcome To ISRO:ŖṢ★: Former Chairmen:: Prof Satish DhawanSatish Dhawan". isro.org. Archived from the original on 11 February 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  8. ↑ "Welcome To ISRO :: Former Chairman - Prof.Udupi Ramachandra Rao". isro.org. Archived from the original on 11 February 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  9. ↑ "Welcome to ISRO :: Former Chairman :: Prof. Udupi Ramachandra Rao - Introduction". Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  10. ↑ "Welcome To ISRO :: Former Chairman :: Dr. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan - Introduction". isro.org. Archived from the original on 26 October 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  11. ↑ "Shri G Madhavan Nair". About ISRO. Indian Space Research Organisation. 11 November 2008. Archived from the original on 11 November 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
  12. ↑ "Dr. K. Radhakrishnan". About ISRO. Indian Space Research Organisation. 11 November 2008. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
  13. ↑ "India's space odyssey: ISRO creates history in 2014". The Indian Express. 27 December 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  14. ↑ "ISRO's Timeline from 1960s to Today - ISRO". Indian Space Research Organisation. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  15. ↑ Shailesh Nayak appointed as new ISRO chairman, Radhakrishnan retires
  16. ↑ "A S Kiran Kumar takes over as Secretary, Department of Space, Chairman, Space Commission and Chairman, ISRO". www.isro.gov.in. Archived from the original on 16 October 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  17. ↑ "K. Sivan takes charge as new ISRO chairman". The Hindu. 16 January 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  18. ↑ "Malayali scientist Dr S Somanath appointed as ISRO chairman". Kerala Kaumudi . Thiruvanathapuram. 12 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  19. 1 2 "New Directors for Three Major ISRO Centres: Three major ISRO Centres have new Directors from today". www.isro.gov.in. 1 June 2015. Archived from the original on 23 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  20. ↑ Prasanna, Laxmi (22 January 2018). "S Somnath takes charge as Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre's director". The Times of India. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  21. ↑ "Somanath takes charge as VSSC director". www.indiatoday.in. 22 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  22. ↑ "Somanath takes charge as VSSC director". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 22 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  23. ↑ Kumar, Chethan (7 January 2025). "V Narayanan Appointed New ISRO Chairman". The Times of India.
  24. ↑ "V Narayanan: The Rocket Scientist who Will Lead ISRO into its Next Phase: 10 Facts". Livemint. 8 January 2025.

Notes

  1. ↑ Others include NASA (United States), RFSA (Russia), European Space Agency (EU), CNSA (China) and JAXA (Japan).
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