Date:23/09/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/09/23/stories/2003092300971300.htm

National

ISRO chief for devoting resources to R&D

By N. Gopal Raj

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Sept. 22. The Indian Space Research Organisation needs to devote sufficient resources to advanced research and development so that it emerges as a "space power", says the organisation's new chairman, G. Madhavan Nair.

He said that ISRO had excellent in-house capabilities in launch vehicles, spacecraft and applications of space technology. There were important ongoing programmes in all three areas. In addition, the Moon mission would also have to be fulfilled, Mr. Nair told The Hindu.

On September 1, Mr. Nair, then Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, assumed additional charge as Secretary for the Department of Space and chairman of the ISRO when K. Kasturirangan stepped down. The Cabinet's Appointments Committee recently confirmed Mr. Nair in those posts. He has also been given two years' extension of service.

Mr. Nair is the first person from the launch vehicle teams to head the organisation. His two predecessors, U.R. Rao and Dr. Kasturirangan, were both satellite men. He was recruited to the fledgling space programme in 1967 from the Atomic Energy Training School and has been closely involved in all the country's launch vehicle projects. In the ISRO, he initially worked in the Rocket Engineering Division started by the current President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. The division's role was to prepare the scientific instruments to be carried on sounding rockets, many of which were imported in those days. When ISRO embarked on building the country's first experimental launch vehicle, the SLV-3, Dr Kalam, who became the project director, included Mr. Nair in his project team.

Mr. Nair went on to play a key role in the development of the country's first operational launch vehicle, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. In 1995, Mr. Nair became Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, which develops the liquid engines needed by ISRO's satellites and rockets. Four years later, he was director of VSSC, which oversees launch vehicle development.