V Narayanan assumes charge as new ISRO chief, succeeding S Somanath
Bengaluru (PTI): V Narayanan has assumed charge as the chairman of ISRO, replacing S Somanath, the Space Agency said.
In a statement, the ISRO said, "Dr V Narayanan, Distinguished Scientist (Apex Grade), assumed the charge of Secretary, Department of Space, Chairman, Space Commission and Chairman, ISRO on the afternoon of January 13, 2025."
Prior to this, Narayanan served as the Director of ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), a key facility responsible for the development of propulsion systems for launch vehicles and spacecraft.
He also played a pivotal role as the Chairman of the National Level Human Rated Certification Board (HRCB) for the Gaganyaan programme, India’s ambitious human spaceflight mission.
A veteran scientist, Narayanan joined ISRO in 1984 and has contributed significantly to India's space missions over the decades. He became the Director of LPSC in January 2018, cementing his reputation as a leader in rocket and spacecraft propulsion technologies.
Narayanan hails from a humble background and is an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, where he completed his M.Tech in Cryogenic Engineering and PhD in Aerospace Engineering. Awarded the Silver Medal for securing the first rank in his M.Tech programme, he has also received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2018 and the Life Fellowship Award in 2023 from IIT Kharagpur.
Before joining ISRO, Narayanan worked for a brief period at TI Diamond Chain Ltd., Madras Rubber Factory, and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) at Trichy and Ranipet.
Over his 40-year tenure at ISRO, including seven years as Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), he has made groundbreaking contributions to India's space programme.
"When India was denied the cryogenic technology for GSLV Mk-ll vehicle, he designed the engine systems, developed necessary software tools, contributed for establishing the necessary infrastructure and test facilities, testing and qualification and completing the development of Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) and making it operational," ISRO said.
As project director of the C25 cryogenic project for the LVM3 vehicle, he led the development of the C25 cryogenic stage powered by a 20-tonne thrust engine, which was crucial for the successful maiden launch of LVM3. His M.Tech thesis and PhD work were instrumental in the development of these systems, making India one of only six countries with indigenous cryogenic technology.
Narayanan played a vital role in India’s lunar missions. For Chandryaan-2 and 3, he led the development of the L110 Liquid Stage, the C25 Cryogenic Stage, and propulsion systems that enabled the spacecraft to reach the Moon’s orbit and achieve a soft landing.
For the PSLV C57/Aditya L1 mission, he oversaw the realisation of the second and fourth stages, control power plants, and the propulsion system that helped position the spacecraft in a halo orbit at L1, making India the fourth country to successfully study the Sun.
Narayanan has been instrumental in the Gaganyaan programme, contributing to the human-rating of the LVM3 vehicle and the development of various systems, including cryogenic stages, life support systems, and propulsion systems for the crew and service modules. He also chaired the Gaganyaan Certification Board, overseeing the certification process for multiple systems.
Under his leadership, ISRO has advanced the development of next-generation propulsion systems, including a 200-tonne thrust LOX-Kerosene semi-cryogenic rocket system, a 110-tonne thrust LOX-Methane engine, and electric and green propulsion systems for spacecraft.
He has also guided the propulsion systems for upcoming missions such as the Venus Orbiter, Chandrayaan-4, and the Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS).
He is a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering, Aeronautical Society of India, Astronautical Society of India, and other esteemed organizations.
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Rajnath to top commanders: Outmaneuver adversaries with strategic surprise
Jaipur/New Delhi (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday directed the top military commanders of the three services to integrate an "element of surprise" into modern warfare to outmaneuver India's adversaries and bolster strategic posture.
In his address at the joint commanders conference in Jaipur, Singh also described the Operation Sindoor as a testament to the "swift, precise, and joint response" of the Indian armed forces to safeguard national interests and called upon the military to remain ready to deal with any security challenges.
In their two-day deliberations, the commanders carried out a comprehensive review of the combat preparedness of the military in the wake of the evolving regional security situation.
Operation Sindoor was a demonstration of India's growing capabilities and a symbol of the nation's collective resolve and new military ethos, Singh said, a day after the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor.
He also unveiled a 'Joint Doctrine for Integrated Communication Architecture' that is aimed at strengthening doctrinal clarity, interoperability and integrated communications across the armed forces in future multidomain operations.
The joint commanders' conference, themed 'Military Capability in New Domains', brought together the top leadership of the defence ministry and the three services to deliberate on emerging security challenges and future readiness.
Comprehensive deliberations were held on future warfare, multidomain operations, technological transformation and joint capability development.
The conference witnessed extensive discussions on cognitive warfare, cyber resilience against evolving quantum and AI-enabled threats, military capability development in emerging domains, indigenous innovation and AI-enabled warfighting concepts.
It was attended by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, Chief of the Army Staff Gen Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh among others.
In his remarks, Singh asked the commanders to remain "future-ready" by learning from the operation as well as the current global security landscape.
He underscored the need to strengthen capabilities in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, data analytics and secure communication networks to stay prepared in the rapidly evolving geopolitical security scenario. He emphasised that future conflicts will increasingly be shaped by hybrid threats, information dominance and operations conducted simultaneously across cyber, space, electromagnetic and cognitive domains, according to an official readout.
Highlighting the transformative impact of emerging technologies, Singh stressed on the importance of ensuring integrated national preparedness across all spectrums of conflict, it said.
Singh's remarks at the conference came a day after the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor.
The defence minister appreciated the progress achieved in enhancing jointness, integration and technological adoption across the three services, the readout noted.
Singh said that jointness constitutes a pivotal dimension within the transformative changes sweeping across the global defence sector.
"Future wars will not be won solely through weaponry, but through innovative thinking and enhanced synergy," he said.
The defence minister exhorted the commanders to cultivate the "element of surprise" to remain unpredictable to the nation's adversaries and secure a strategic edge in any given situation.
He, however, urged them to remain vigilant of the element of surprise of the enemy and always stay two steps ahead.
Singh also reiterated the Narendra Modi government's commitment to enhancing the capabilities of the defence forces through state-of-the-art weapons and platforms. He added that special focus is being laid on research in niche domains.
During the conference, he released a documentary film on Operation Sindoor.
The film reaffirms the nation's and defence forces' commitment to operational preparedness and decisive national response capabilities.
Demonstrations of advanced systems and platforms developed for intelligence fusion, operational planning and information management were also showcased during the conference reflecting growing integration of cutting-edge technologies into joint operational structures, according to the defence ministry.
The discussions will contribute significantly towards shaping India's future military transformation and integrated operational preparedness, it said.
