V. Narayanan, a distinguished scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has been appointed as the new chairman of the organization and Secretary of the Department of Space. The official announcement was made recently, and Narayanan is set to assume his new roles on January 14, succeeding the current ISRO chief, S. Somnath. Narayanan'appointment has been approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, and he is set to serve in these roles for the next two years, until further notice.

The official order from , Department of Personnel and Training states, The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of V. Narayanan, , Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, Valiamala, as Secretary, Department of Space and Chairman, Space Commission, for a period of two years from January 14, 2025, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

Narayanan's journey with ISRO began in 1984, and he has functioned in various capacities before becoming Director of LPSC. The Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, which Narayanan heads, is engaged in the development of liquid, semi-cryogenic and cryogenic propulsion stages for launch vehicles, chemical and electric propulsion systems for satellites, control systems for launch vehicles, and transducers development for space systems health monitoring.

In addition to his role as Director of LPSC, Narayanan is also the Chairman of the Project Management Council-Space Transportation System (PMC-STS), the decision-making body in all launch vehicle projects and programmes, and the Chairman of the National Level Human Rated Certification Board (HRCB) for Gaganyaan, 's planned human spaceflight mission.

During the initial phase of his career, Narayanan worked in the Solid Propulsion area of Sounding Rockets and Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV) and Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). He further contributed to the process planning, process control and realisation of Ablative nozzle systems, composite motor cases and composite Igniter cases.

Narayanan's educational background includes an  in Cryogenic Engineering and a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from IIT, Kharagpur, where he was awarded a Silver Medal for achieving the first rank in the M Tech programme. The rocket and spacecraft propulsion expert joined ISRO in 1984 and rose through the ranks to become the director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre in 2018.

The outgoing ISRO Chief, S. Somnath, took over in January 2022, and it was under his leadership that India became the first country in the world to land a rover in the South Pole region of the Moon. It also joined an elite club of countries to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, after the US, Russia, and .

Narayanan's appointment comes at a crucial time as ISRO continues to expand its horizons with ambitious projects like the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission and the development of advanced propulsion systems. His vision and expertise are expected to drive ISRO's future endeavors, further solidifying India's position in the global space arena.