V. Narayanan appointed Secretary, Department of Space and ISRO Chairman
The ACC appointed the LPSC Director for two years from 14 January 2025, succeeding S. Somanath.
Summary
V. Narayanan, Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Valiamala, was appointed Secretary, Department of Space and Chairman, Space Commission by an Appointments Committee of the Cabinet order on 7 January 2025. V. Narayanan was appointed for two years with effect from 14 January 2025, or until further orders, and the Space Secretary also holds charge as Chairman of ISRO. V. Narayanan succeeds S. Somanath, who had assumed charge as Space Secretary on 14 January 2022. A rocket and spacecraft propulsion expert, V. Narayanan joined ISRO in 1984, became LPSC Director in January 2018, and holds an M.Tech in Cryogenic Engineering and a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from IIT Kharagpur.
Key facts
- Order
- Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, 7 January 2025
- Posts
- Secretary, Department of Space; Chairman, Space Commission; Chairman, ISRO
- Tenure
- Two years w.e.f. 14 January 2025, or until further orders
- Previous post
- Director, LPSC, Valiamala
- Predecessor
- S. Somanath (took charge 14 January 2022)
- Background
- Joined ISRO 1984; M.Tech Cryogenic Engg and Ph.D. Aerospace Engg, IIT Kharagpur
Practice MCQs 3 questions
Before his appointment as Secretary, Department of Space on 7 January 2025, V. Narayanan headed which ISRO centre?
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Correct answer: A — Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre
The Hindu, Indian Express (quoting the ACC order) and ISRO: Narayanan was Director, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Valiamala.
For what period was V. Narayanan appointed Secretary, Department of Space and Chairman, Space Commission by the ACC order of January 2025?
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Correct answer: B — Two years from 14 January 2025, or until further orders
The Hindu and Indian Express quote the ACC order: two years with effect from 14.01.2025, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Consider the following statements about V. Narayanan, appointed Space Secretary in January 2025: 1. He joined ISRO in 1984. 2. He completed his M.Tech in Cryogenic Engineering and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering at IIT Kharagpur. 3. He succeeded K. Sivan as Space Secretary. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Correct answer: C — 1 and 2 only
ISRO: he joined ISRO in 1984 and studied at IIT Kharagpur; The Hindu and Indian Express: he succeeds S. Somanath, not K. Sivan.