Suruchi Sharma
V Narayanan, a rocket scientist, will assume the role of ISRO chief from the current leader, S Somanath, on Jan 14.
Dr. Narayanan began his career at the space agency in 1984 and has contributed to the development of essential technologies.
He earned his M Tech in Cryogenic Engineering and a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from IIT, Kharagpur
He was also honored with a Silver Medal for securing the top position in the M Tech program.
Mr. Narayanan was instrumental in India's advancement of the cryogenic engine, a technology that had been withheld from the nation.
One of his recent achievements was leading the Failure Analysis Committee for Chandrayaan 2, the mission where the Vikram Lander crash-landed.
Mr. Narayanan has been leading the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Valiamala, Kerala, since 2018.
Mr. Narayanan is currently a distinguished scientist (APEX Scale) and the seniormost director at ISRO.
He additionally holds the position of Chairman for the Project Management Council-Space Transportation System (PMC-STS), which is the governing body for all launch vehicle initiatives and programs.
Throughout his two-year term as ISRO chief, he will also serve as the Chairman of the Space Commission.