Dr V Narayanan, a Distinguished Scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Director of its Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), has been appointed as the next chairman of the space agency.
An official notification confirmed his appointment on Tuesday. He will succeed S Somnath as ISRO chief on 14 January.
With an illustrious career spanning nearly four decades, Dr Narayanan is known for his expertise in rocket and spacecraft propulsion. During his tenure at LPSC, he has been instrumental in the realisation of key propulsion systems for several landmark missions.
Among his notable achievements, Dr Narayanan led the C25 Cryogenic Project for the GSLV Mk III, overseeing the development of the crucial C25 Stage of
the launch vehicle.
He also guided the LPSC team in delivering 183 Liquid Propulsion Systems and Control Power Plants for various ISRO missions.
He played a pivotal role in realising the second and fourth stages of the PSLV and control power plants for the PSLV C57 mission. Additionally, he contributed significantly to the propulsion systems of the Aditya spacecraft, Chandrayaan-2, and Chandrayaan-3.
Dr Narayanan's contributions have been recognised with several prestigious awards, including the Silver Medal from IIT Kharagpur, a Gold Medal from the Astronautical Society of India (ASI), and the National Design Award from the National Design and Research Forum (NDRF).
As ISRO chief, Dr Narayanan will oversee the continuation of India’s ambitious space exploration programmes, building on the foundation laid by his predecessor.
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