ISRO Chairman List From 1963 to 2024, Get Complete Details

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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is India’s premier space agency, responsible for overseeing and executing the country’s space missions. Established in 1969, ISRO has had a significant impact on both the scientific and technological landscape of India and the world. The journey of ISRO began even earlier, in 1962, with the formation of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR), which later transformed into ISRO.

Over the years, ISRO has had visionary leaders who have guided the organization through a series of remarkable achievements, including satellite launches, lunar explorations, and space technology advancements. Here, we take a look at the list of ISRO Chairmen, their tenures, and some of the key contributions they made.

Who is Current Chairman of ISRO?

Dr. S. Somanath is the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 2024. Some of his recent accomplishments include:

Chandrayaan 4 and 5– The designs for the next two moon missions are complete, and the agency is seeking government approval. The Chandrayaan 4 mission will include a soft landing on the moon, collecting samples, and a space docking experiment.
Low-earth orbit satellite constellation– ISRO and In-Space are working with the government to build a constellation of satellites for earth observation.
Gaganyaan mission- Dr. Somanath has answered questions about the timeline for the Gaganyaan mission.

Dr. Somanath has also been a delegate to UN-COPUOS, vice president of the International Astronautical Federation, and president of the Society of Aerospace Quality and Reliability.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

ISRO, which is the name of India’s space agency headquartered in Bengaluru. This organization reports to the Department of Space (DOS) as its parent, which is directly under the control of the Indian Prime Minister. The chairman of ISRO also serves as an executive for DOS. On July 14th, ISRO made a significant accomplishment by successfully launching Chandryaan 3.
The Chandryaan 3 mission, launched from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, carries the hopes of an entire nation. It demonstrates India’s ambition and tenacity to become the fourth nation to conduct a controlled landing on the moon successfully, joining the ranks of the United States, China, and Russia.

ISRO Chairman Lists From 1963 to 2024

There have been 11 ISRO Chairpersons appointed since 1963. On January 12, 2022, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) named Somanath S the eleventh and the present ISRO chairman. Former ISRO Chairman Dr K. Sivan took over in January 2018 and succeeded him. The First ISRO chairman was Dr Vikram Sarabhai

No.	Name	Tenure	Key Contributions
1	Dr. Vikram Sarabhai	1963 – 1971	Father of the Indian Space Program; Established Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station
2	Prof. M. G. K. Menon	January 1972 – September 1972	Early work in cosmic rays; Continued Sarabhai’s vision in India’s space program
3	Prof. Satish Dhawan	1972 – 1984	Led development of PSLV and INSAT; Strengthened India’s operational satellite systems
4	Prof. U. R. Rao	1984 – 1994	Designed India’s first satellite Aryabhata; Expanded satellite communication and Earth observation systems
5	Dr. K. Kasturirangan	1994 – 2003	Spearheaded PSLV and GSLV missions; Pioneered Earth observation satellites like Bhaskara-I & II
6	G. Madhavan Nair	2003 – 2009	Launched Chandrayaan-1; Conducted 25 successful missions
7	Dr. K. Radhakrishnan	2009 – 2014	Led India’s first Mars mission (Mangalyaan); Set up India’s human spaceflight program
8	Dr. Shailesh Nayak (Interim)	January 2015	Short tenure; Notable contributions in oceanography and remote sensing
9	A. S. Kiran Kumar	2015 – 2018	Oversaw Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan); Established IRNSS, India’s GPS system
10	Dr. K. Sivan	2018 – 2022	Led Chandrayaan-2 mission; Initiated India’s Gaganyaan (human spaceflight) program
11	S. Somanath	2022 – Present	Successful Chandrayaan-3 landing; Launched Aditya L-1 mission to study the sun

Important Facts Related to ISRO Chairman

Aryabhata, India’s first satellite, was launched in 1975.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a former prime minister, announced Chandrayaan-1, India’s first lunar mission, on August 15, 2003. In 2008, the rocket was put into flight. Since it was established, ISRO has had 11 chairmen. Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, regarded as the founder of the Indian space programme, served as ISRO’s first chairman.
Somanath S is the ISRO’s chairman at the moment. He oversaw the Chandrayaan 3 project and is one of the minds behind India’s ambition to set foot on the moon.
Dr. Shailesh Nayak has previously worked on projects involving remote sensing and the ocean. For 11 days, he presided as the acting director general of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Check out the linked article on the Chandrayaan 4 Mission Here!

ISRO Chairman List Important Facts

Dr. Vikram Sarabhai

Who led India’s space programme from 1963 to 1972, is regarded as its founder. These institutes were created by Vikram Sarabhai:

Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad.
Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram
Faster Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR), Kalpakkam

Prof. M. G. K. Menon (Jan-Sep 1972):

He was well-known for his work on particle physics and cosmic rays, especially the high-energy interactions of elementary particles.

Prof. Satish Dhawan (1972-1984):

In 1972, he took over as chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), succeeding Vikram Sarabhai, who started the country’s space effort. His work resulted in the functioning systems INSAT and PSLV in India.

Prof. Udupi Ramachandra Rao (1984-1994):

In 1972, Dr. Rao took on the job of establishing satellite technology in India. In 1975, he played a key role in creating the first Indian satellite, Aryabhata.

Dr. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan (1994-2003):

Under his direction as ISRO Chairman, PSLV and GSLV have achieved numerous significant milestones for the space programme. Additionally, he oversaw the construction of India’s first two experimental BHASKARA-I and II earth observation satellites.

Shri G.Madhavan Nair (2003-2009):

The first Indian lunar lander was named Chandrayaan-1. Shri G. Madhavan Nair served as the chairman during its launch. ISRO completed 25 successful flights during his six-year stint as Chairman and Secretary.

Dr. K. Radhakrishnan (2009-2014):

Under his leadership, Mr. K. Radhakrishnan oversaw the launch of India’s first interplanetary mission, Mangalyaan.

Shri A S Kiran Kumar (2015 to 2018):

He performed admirably throughout the launch of India’s Chandrayaan-1 and Mars Orbiter Mission. Under his direction, the GAGAN and Indian National Regional Navigation System (IRNSS) have been built.

Dr. K. Sivan (2018 to 2022):

He made a significant contribution to the planning, design, integration, and analysis of the entire mission. Chandrayaan-2 was launched during his administration, and India’s manned space programme has accelerated.

ISRO Chairman List FAQs

Who is the ISRO chairman now?

S Somanath is the ISRO chairman now.

Who is leading Chandrayaan-3 mission?

The 'Rocket Woman of India', Ritu Karidhal, is leading India's ambitious lunar space mission, Chandrayaan 3.

When Chandrayaan-3 will reach Moon?

Chandrayaan-3 Off To Moon, the journey from Earth to the moon for the spacecraft is estimated to take about a month and the landing is expected on August 23.

Is Chandrayaan-1 successful?

Chandrayaan-1, India's first mission to Moon, was launched successfully on October 22, 2008 from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota.

Is Chandrayaan-3 launched in India?

The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 mission has launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 2.35 PM IST on Thursday, July 14.