India appointed rocket scientist V. Narayanan as the new head of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the government said on Tuesday, a key role as India works to become a space superpower.

India has appointed V. Narayanan as the new chairman of ISRO, succeeding S. Somanath. Narayanan's leadership comes at a pivotal time as India aims for space superpower status. The government recognizes his role in steering the organization towards engaging with new generations.

Narayanan will take the office on January 14 and guide ISRO for the next two years or until further notice, as per the Cabinet's appointments committee.

Rocket & spacecraft propulsion expert, V Narayanan joined ISRO in 1984 and has nearly 4 decades of experience. Under him, the team developed C25 Stage, a vital component of GSLV Mk III.

Narayanan is a distinguished Scientist at the ISRO and has nearly four decades of experience. He has held various key positions within the Indian space organisation.

A distinguished scientist with nearly four decades of experience at ISRO, Narayanan specialises in rocket and spacecraft propulsion.

Born in 1964 in Melakattu village Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari District, Narayanan completed his early schooling in his hometown. He earned a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (DME) and an Associate Membership in Mechanical Engineering from the Institution of Engineers (AMIE).