Dr V Narayanan, a noted rocket and spacecraft propulsion expert, is set to succeed S Somanath as the next Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). His tenure will begin on January 14, 2025, as per the Union Cabinet’s Appointments’ Committee decision, with a term of two years. Dr Narayanan steps into the role at a crucial time when India’s space sector is undergoing reforms and ISRO is set to execute several high-profile missions.
Dr Narayanan, who has been heading ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) since January 2018, described his new assignment as both a “great responsibility” and an opportunity to build on the legacy of his predecessors. Speaking to The Hindu on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, he said, “It’s a great opportunity to follow in the footsteps of stalwarts who led ISRO over the decades.”
Dr Narayanan’s tenure begins amid a packed schedule for ISRO. “Towards January-end, we have the GSLV Mk-II/IRNSS-1 K mission. We also have the first uncrewed flight of the Gaganyaan programme, the G-1 mission, and a commercial launch using the LVM3 launch vehicle,” he told The Hindu. Additionally, several experiments related to the Gaganyaan programme are on the agenda.
Beyond immediate projects, ISRO is preparing for landmark missions, including Chandrayaan-4, India’s first space station—Bharatiya Antariksha Station, a second Mars mission, and the maiden Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM). While these missions may extend beyond his tenure, Dr. Narayanan emphasized that preparations are already underway.
Born into a farming family in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, Dr Narayanan joined ISRO in 1984 and has specialized in rocket propulsion, one of the space agency’s core areas.