Rocket scientist V Narayanan will head the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), succeeding S Somanath who will complete his tenure next week. 

Narayanan, who currently heads the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre at ISRO will be the director of India’s space agency for a term of two years starting January 14, according to an official order, reported PTI. 

“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shri V. Narayanan, Director, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, Valiamala as Secretary, Department of Space and Chairman, Space Commission for a period of two years with effect from 14.01.2025, or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” the order read. 

The Department of Space Secretary also holds the charge of chairman of ISRO. 

Somanath had assumed the charge as the Secretary of the Department of Space, on January 14, 2022, for a term of three years. 

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Who Is V Narayanan?

A distinguished scientist at ISRO, Narayanan has held various key positions within the Indian space agency over a period of four decades. His expertise lies in rocket and spacecraft propulsion. 

Narayanan was the Project Director for the C25 Cryogenic Project of the GSLV Mk Ill vehicle. His team had successfully developed the C25 Stage, a vital component of GSLV Mk III, under his leadership, the PTI report stated. 

He joined the ISRO in 1984 and functioned in various capacities before becoming director of the Centre. For the initial four and a half years of his career, he worked in the Solid Propulsion area of Sounding Rockets and Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV) and Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).

Narayanan completed his M.Tech in Cryogenic Engineering with First Rank at IIT-Kharagpur in 1989 and joined the Cryogenic Propulsion area in the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC).