V. Narayanan, who is set to take over as ISRO Chairman, terms his new assignment ‘a great responsibility’

Wed Jan 08 09:00:00 UTC 2025: ## ISRO Welcomes New Chairman, V. Narayanan, Amidst Ambitious Space Program

**Thiruvananthapuram, January 8, 2025** – Dr. V. Narayanan, a renowned rocket and spacecraft propulsion expert, will assume the chairmanship of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on January 14th, 2025. He succeeds S. Somanath at a pivotal moment for India’s space sector, which is undergoing significant reforms and embarking on several ambitious projects.

Dr. Narayanan, who has headed ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre since 2018, expressed his commitment to the role, highlighting the “great responsibility and opportunity” it presents. His tenure will be immediately demanding, with several crucial missions planned for the coming months, including the GSLV Mk-II/IRNSS-1 K mission, the Gaganyaan G-1 uncrewed flight, and a commercial launch using the LVM3. Further, numerous experiments related to the Gaganyaan program are also underway.

ISRO’s future plans include the Chandrayaan-4 moon mission, the development of India’s own space station (Bharatiya Antariksha Station), a second Mars mission, and the maiden Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM). While not all projects will be completed during his two-year term, Dr. Narayanan will oversee their initial phases.

A key priority for the new chairman is enhancing India’s presence in the global space economy, aiming to increase its share from 2% to 10%. He emphasized the crucial role of the recent reforms opening the sector to private players, enabling collaboration to meet the growing demand for communication, navigation, and earth observation satellites.

Dr. Narayanan also highlighted the importance of international collaboration, stating that “Strength respects strength,” reflecting ISRO’s strong standing in the global space community. His background, including a career at ISRO since 1984 and significant contributions to cryogenic technology and various missions, positions him well for the challenges ahead. The new chairman hails from a humble background in Tamil Nadu, demonstrating a remarkable journey to the pinnacle of India’s space program.