ISRO Chairman List From 1963 to 2023

Explore the comprehensive list of ISRO Chairman list from 1963 to 2023. Learn about the visionary leaders who shaped India’s space program, achieved milestones, and contributed to space exploration. From Dr. Vikram Sarabhai to S. Somanath, discover their impactful roles and contributions in advancing space technology.

ISRO Chairman List From 1963 to 2023

No.	Name (Lifespan)	Start Term	End Term	Term length
1	Dr. Vikram Sarabhai (1919–1971)	1963	1971	8 years
2	M. G. K. Menon (1928–2016)	January 1972	September 1972	9 months
3	Satish Dhawan (1920–2002)	1972	1984	12 years
4	Prof. U R Rao (1932–2017)	1984	1994	10 years
5	Dr. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan (1940– )	1994	27 August 2003	9 years
6	G. Madhavan Nair (1943– )	1 September 2003	29 October 2009	6 years, 58 days
7	K. Radhakrishnan (1949– )	30 October 2009	31 December 2014	5 years, 62 days
–	Shailesh Nayak (1953– )	1 January 2015	12 January 2015	11 days
8	A. S. Kiran Kumar (1952– )	14 January 2015	14 January 2018	3 years
9	K. Sivan (1957– )	15 January 2018	15 January 2022	4 years
10	S. Somanath (1963– )	15 January 2022	Incumbent	1 year, 220 days

List of ISRO Chairpersons from 1963 to 2023:

1. Dr. Vikram Sarabhai
   • Lifespan: 1919–1971
   • Start Term: 1963
   • End Term: 1971
   • Term Length: 8 years
   • Notable Achievements: Founder of INCOSPAR and widely regarded as the father of the Indian space program. His efforts led to the creation of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
2. M. G. K. Menon
   • Lifespan: 1928–2016
   • Start Term: January 1972
   • End Term: September 1972
   • Term Length: 9 months
   • Notable Contributions: Worked on cosmic rays and particle physics, particularly on the high-energy interactions of elementary particles.
3. Satish Dhawan
   • Lifespan: 1920–2002
   • Start Term: 1973
   • End Term: 1984
   • Term Length: 12 years
   • Notable Achievements: Known for his work on fluid dynamics and served as the longest-serving chief of ISRO. Under his leadership, India attained orbital launch capability in 1980 and initiated the INSAT program.
4. Prof. U R Rao
   • Lifespan: 1932–2017
   • Start Term: 1984
   • End Term: 1994
   • Term Length: 10 years
   • Notable Contributions: Played a significant role in the development of launch vehicles. His era saw the development of PSLV and GSLV rockets, as well as the IRS series of remote sensing satellites.
5. Dr. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan
   • Lifespan: 1940–
   • Start Term: 1994
   • End Term: 27 August 2003
   • Term Length: 9 years
   • Notable Achievements: Oversaw the development of improved spacecraft in the INSAT series and IRS series of remote sensing satellites. His tenure also witnessed significant advancements in earth observation satellite technologies.
6. G. Madhavan Nair
   • Lifespan: 1943–
   • Start Term: 1 September 2003
   • End Term: 29 October 2009
   • Term Length: 6 years, 58 days
   • Notable Achievements: Led the operationalization of various variants of the PSLV rocket. His era marked the commencement of the Indian Human Spaceflight Program and the launch of Chandrayaan-I.
7. K. Radhakrishnan
   • Lifespan: 1949–
   • Start Term: 30 October 2009
   • End Term: 31 December 2014
   • Term Length: 5 years, 62 days
   • Notable Achievements: Oversaw the successful launch and orbital insertion of Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission). His era also witnessed successful advancements in satellite technologies.
8. Shailesh Nayak
   • Lifespan: 1953–
   • Start Term: 1 January 2015
   • End Term: 12 January 2015
   • Term Length: 11 days (Interim Chief)
9. A. S. Kiran Kumar
   • Lifespan: 1952–
   • Start Term: 14 January 2015
   • End Term: 14 January 2018
   • Term Length: 3 years
   • Notable Achievements: His tenure marked the development of the Reusable Launch Vehicle, GSLV Mk III’s first orbital flight, and the launch of India’s first space-based observatory Astrosat.
10. K. Sivan
    • Lifespan: 1957–
    • Start Term: 15 January 2018
    • End Term: 15 January 2022
    • Term Length: 4 years
    • Notable Achievements: Led the Chandrayaan-2 project and accelerated India’s crewed space program. Known for his contributions to PSLV rockets and the development of trajectory simulation software named SITARA.
11. S. Somanath
    • Lifespan: 1963–
    • Start Term: 15 January 2022
    • Incumbent

List of ISRO Chairmen Important Points

1. Dr. Vikram Sarabhai (1963-1971):
   • Founder of INCOSPAR (Indian National Committee for Space Research), which later became ISRO.
   • Known as the father of the Indian space program.
   • Pioneered the establishment of space research and satellite communication in India.
2. M. G. K. Menon (Jan 1972 – Sep 1972):
   • Renowned for his work on cosmic rays and particle physics.
   • Made significant contributions to the field of elementary particle interactions.
3. Satish Dhawan (1973-1984):
   • Served as the longest-serving chief of ISRO.
   • Led India to attain orbital launch capability in 1980.
   • Initiated the INSAT program for the development of communication satellites.
4. Prof. U R Rao (1984-1994):
   • Played a crucial role in the development of launch vehicles.
   • Contributed to the realization of PSLV and GSLV rockets.
   • His tenure saw the development of the IRS series of remote sensing satellites.
5. Dr. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan (1994-2003):
   • Oversaw the development of improved spacecraft in the INSAT series.
   • Pioneered the development of the Indian Human Spaceflight Program.
   • Focused on enhancing India’s capabilities in earth observation satellite technologies.
6. G. Madhavan Nair (2003-2009):
   • Led the operationalization of various variants of the PSLV rocket.
   • Initiated the Indian Human Spaceflight Program and Chandrayaan-1 mission.
   • Stepped down amid controversy related to the Antrix Corporation’s S-band spectrum deal.
7. K. Radhakrishnan (2009-2014):
   • Oversaw the successful launch and orbital insertion of Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan).
   • Led the cancellation of the collaboration with Russia for Chandrayaan-2 and its redefinition with Indian systems.
   • Witnessed the successful flight of India’s own cryogenic stage on GSLV-D5.
8. Shailesh Nayak (Interim, Jan 2015):
   • Briefly served as interim chief of ISRO for 11 days.
9. A. S. Kiran Kumar (2015-2018):
   • Initiated the development of the Reusable Launch Vehicle – Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD).
   • Oversaw the first orbital flight of GSLV Mk III and completion of the NAVIC navigation system.
10. K. Sivan (2018-2022):
    • Led the Chandrayaan-2 project, which included India’s attempt at a soft moon landing.
    • Accelerated India’s crewed space program and set goals for various space missions.
    • Developed trajectory simulation software named SITARA, still in use by ISRO.
11. S. Somanath (2022-Present):
    • Known for contributions to launch vehicle design, structural dynamics, and pyrotechnics.
    • Previously served as Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre.

Important Facts Related to ISRO Chairman

1. Dr. Vikram Sarabhai (1963-1971):
   • Widely regarded as the father of the Indian space program.
   • Founded INCOSPAR, which later became ISRO.
   • Pioneered India’s first satellite launch, Aryabhata.
   • Instrumental in setting up space research centers.
2. M. G. K. Menon (January-September 1972):
   • Made significant contributions to cosmic rays and particle physics.
   • Served as Chairman for a short period.
3. Satish Dhawan (1973-1984):
   • Oversaw the development of India’s orbital launch capability.
   • Led the successful launch of SLV-3, India’s first experimental satellite launch vehicle.
   • Initiated the INSAT program for communication satellites.
4. Prof. U R Rao (1984-1994):
   • Played a pivotal role in the development of satellite technology.
   • Led the creation of an indigenous satellite navigation system (IRNSS).
   • Contributed to the establishment of PSLV and GSLV launch vehicles.
5. Dr. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan (1994-2003):
   • Focused on advancing space technology with improved spacecraft.
   • Contributed to the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-1 lunar mission.
   • Promoted international collaboration in space research.
6. G. Madhavan Nair (2003-2009):
   • Led the successful launch of Chandrayaan-1, India’s first lunar probe.
   • Instrumental in developing various versions of the PSLV.
   • Stepped down amid controversy related to a spectrum deal.
7. K. Radhakrishnan (2009-2014):
   • Oversaw the successful launch of Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan).
   • Led the development of GSLV Mk III, a heavy-lift launch vehicle.
   • Pioneered the realization of India’s own cryogenic stage for GSLV.
8. A. S. Kiran Kumar (2015-2018):
   • Initiated the development of the Reusable Launch Vehicle technology.
   • Oversaw the successful launch of GSLV Mk III with the GSAT-19 satellite.
   • Played a key role in the completion of the Indian regional navigation system, NAVIC.
9. K. Sivan (2018-2022):
   • Led the Chandrayaan-2 mission, India’s lunar exploration project.
   • Advanced India’s human spaceflight program with the Gaganyaan mission.
   • Developed trajectory simulation software named SITARA.
10. S. Somanath (2022-Present):
    • Known for contributions to launch vehicle design and engineering.
    • Held leadership positions at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre.
    • Led the Chandrayaan-3 mission, Successful landing on moon.

ISRO Chairman List From 1963 to 2023

ISRO Chairman List From 1963 to 2023