Have a look at the biography, age, family, wife, caste, qualification and career journey of the new ISRO chairman Dr V Narayanan
Dr. V Narayanan, a distinguished Indian rocket propulsion expert and aerospace engineer, has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). With extensive experience in cryogenic propulsion systems, Dr. Narayanan is widely recognized for his significant contributions to India’s space missions. He will succeed the current ISRO Chairman, S Somanath, and take over the role on January 14, 2025.
Who is Dr V Narayanan new ISRO Chairman, biography, full name, age, family, wife, children, hometown birth place state, education, caste and salary
The Department of Space announced his appointment on January 7, 2025. Dr. Narayanan’s leadership arrives at a pivotal moment as ISRO accelerates efforts in satellite technology, space exploration missions, and global collaborations. The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions officially confirmed his appointment, designating him as Secretary of the Department of Space and Chairman of the Space Commission for a two-year tenure starting January 14, 2025.
Who is Dr. V Narayanan?
V Narayanan appointed new Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation and Secretary, Department of Space. #ISRO pic.twitter.com/uGEc7pi7XN
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) January 8, 2025
Dr. Narayanan was born in Melakattu village near Nagercoil, in Tamil Nadu in a farming family. V Narayanan is the youngest of six children of farmer Vanniaperumal and Thankammal of, Melakattuvilai village in Kanyakumari district of Tamil with him doing his schooling from the Tamil Medium School in Kanyakumari. Narayanan is married to Kavitharaj N.K., and they have two children: a daughter, Divyaa, and a son, Kalesh. He is of the Nair community, a prominent Hindu caste in Kerala.
His family did not have electricity until he was in Class IX, yet he excelled academically, topping his school in Class X.
He went on to study at IIT Kharagpur where he did M.Tech. in Cryogenic Engineering. There, at IIT Kharagpur, at the time of completion of M.Tech. he bagged a Silver Medal and was graded first in class while graduating with that degree. These two instances testify to his sharp acumen regarding the field of cryogenics. Besides that, he has done a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering; this happened to be a particular area in which he has done significant work professionally.
He completed his early schooling in his hometown and earned First Rank in the Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (DME). Additionally, he achieved Associate Membership in Mechanical Engineering from the Institution of Engineers (AMIE). Driven by a passion for aerospace engineering, Dr. Narayanan pursued a Master of Technology (M.Tech) in Cryogenic Engineering at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, where he graduated with exceptional distinction, earning a Silver Medal and First Rank in 1989. Further advancing his expertise, he earned a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering in 2001 from IIT Kharagpur.
Following his diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Narayanan began his career in the private sector, working for various companies, including TI Diamond Chain Ltd., Madras Rubber Factory, and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) in Trichy and Ranipet. In 1984, he joined ISRO, where he held several key positions throughout his career. In January 2018, he was appointed Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC).
Dr. Narayanan’s expertise was instrumental as the Project Director for the GSLV Mk III C25 Cryogenic Project, overseeing the creation of the C25 Cryogenic Stage. This stage, which uses liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, powers a 20-ton thrust engine and was successfully launched for the first time on the GSLV Mk III vehicle. His leadership at LPSC was pivotal in developing propulsion systems for the Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 missions, including the L110 Liquid Stage and the C25 Cryogenic Stage.
In the Gaganyaan program, India’s ambitious human spaceflight mission, Dr. Narayanan played a key role in human-rating the LVM3 vehicle. He was involved in developing human-rated L110 and C32 Cryogenic Stages, as well as Environmental Control and Safety Systems, and propulsion systems for the Service and Crew modules. As Chairman of the Mission Readiness Review for the Test Vehicle (TVD1) mission, he oversaw the successful demonstration of the crew escape system.
While his salary as ISRO Chairman has been revealed, the salary of S. Somanathan was a monthly income of Rs 2.5 lakh which could be the same amount Narayanan receives.
VIDEO | Kerala: “It's a great honour and opportunity given to me by the honourable PM. It’s a challenging activity. I am sure with the type of ISRO team, I will be able to take organisation to much greater heights,” says V. Narayanan, newly appointed Chairman, Indian Space… pic.twitter.com/346S53Rg6O
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 8, 2025
know all details about V Narayanan:
- Born 1964
- Age: 60-years-old
- Birthplace: Nagercoil, Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu, India
- Alma mater: IIT, Kharagpur (M.Tech. in Cryogenic Engineering) and IIT, Kharagpur (PhD in Aerospace Engineering)