Dr. S Somnath is an aerospace engineer and he is currently the 10th chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) who was appointed on January 15, 2022, in place of K. Sivan.
Recently, India has made a successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the South Pole of the Moon on August 23, in which he and his team have made valuable contributions.
He has held several key positions in ISRO including Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC) and Director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Center (LPSC).
He was the Project Director of the GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle, which is India’s heaviest launch vehicle. He was the director of VSSC during the launch of India’s second lunar mission Chandrayaan-2.
Dr. S. Somnath has been honored with several awards, including the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award.
Somnath was awarded the Doctorate of Science (Honoris Causa) at the 18th Annual Convocation of SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu on 25 September for his contribution to the field of science.
Physical Stats
| Full name: | Sreedhara Panicker Somanath |
| Born: | 15 July 1963, Thuravoor, Alappuzha, Kerala, India |
| Best Known For: | Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation since 2022 |
| Age: | 60 Years |
| Height: | 5 Feet 8 inches (1.73m) |
| Profession: | Indian Aerospace Engineer |
| Marital Status: | Married |
| Spouse: | Valsalakumari (m.1993) |
| Children: | 2 |
| Parents: | Vedamparambil Sreedhara Panicker and Thankamma |
| Religion: | Hindu |
| Salary: | 2.5Lacs P/M (According to 2023) |
| Nationality: | Indian |
Early Life
S Somanath was born in a Malayali Nair family on July 15, 1963, in Thuravoor, Alappuzha, Kerala, India. His father’s name was Vedamparambil Sreedhara Panicker who was a Hindi teacher by profession and his mother Thankamma was a homemaker.
Somnath did his early education at St. Augustine’s High School, Aroor, and did his high school from Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam.
After high school, he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Thangal Kunju Musaliar College of Engineering (University of Kerala), Kollam, in 1985 and a Master’s degree (M.E) in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science (IISB), Bangalore in 1987. He then obtained his PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras in 1993.
Career
Dr.S Somnath started his career with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). He joined Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala in 1985 as a scientist in the Launch Vehicle Systems Division.
He has held various positions at Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC), including Project Manager of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in 1995, Deputy Director of Structures Unit/Propulsion and Space Armament Unit in 2003, Geosynchronous Satellite Launch in 2010 Vehicle (GSLV Mk-III), Director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Center (LPSC) in 2015 and Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC) in 2018.
Dr. S Somnath was succeeded by K.K. Sivan, and since then he has still served as the chairman of ISRO.
Dr. S Somnath has made significant contributions to the development of India’s space program. He was the Project Director of the GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle, which is India’s heaviest launch vehicle.
Dr. S Somnath is a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering and a recipient of several awards including the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award.
S Somnath & Chandrayaan-2
S. Somnath was the director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC) during the launch of India’s second lunar mission Chandrayaan-2. He was also responsible for the development of the GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle, which was used to launch the mission.
The Chandrayaan-2 project was launched on 22 July 2019 from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, but the lander Vikram failed to successfully land on the lunar surface, crashing just seven kilometers short of its target.
This mission was not successful but it was also successful in many ways, including the successful launch and installation of an orbiter and rover in lunar orbit.
The failure of the Chandrayaan-2 mission for a while made S. Somnath disappointed but Somnath was praised for his leadership during the Chandrayaan-2 mission. This boosted his morale and he ensured that the orbiter and rover were able to continue their science mission.
After the failure of the Chandrayaan-2 mission, S. Somnath announced that ISRO would launch the third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, in an attempt to land a lander and rover on the lunar surface.
Somnath’s role was important in the Chandrayaan-2 mission. He was able to lead ISRO to the successful launch and insertion of the orbiter and rover, and he was also able to keep the ISRO team’s morale up despite the setback of the lander accident.
S Somnath & Chandrayaan-3
Chandrayaan-3 project is the third project of India’s lunar mission, whose director S. Somnath was Under his direction, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) was instrumental in the successful launch and landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the South Pole of the Moon on August 23, 2023, making India realize its might to the whole world.
He led a team of over 3,000 scientists and engineers from ISRO and other institutions across India for the Chandrayaan-3 project.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission was a challenging mission as India attempted to land a spacecraft on the South Pole of the Moon (which is surrounded by craters and mountains) for the first time.
But Somnath and his team were able to successfully land Chandrayaan-3 on the South Pole of the Moon. This is a major achievement for India’s space program and a testimony to Somnath’s leadership and expertise.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission is expected to help scientists learn more about the Moon’s south pole, a region that has not been well studied. This mission is also expected to help India develop new technology for future space missions.
Personal Life
S Somnath was married to Valsala in 1993 and has two children. His wife works in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) department under the aegis of the Ministry of Finance.
S Somnath is an avid sportsman and loves to play cricket and badminton. He is also an avid reader and loves to read books on science and technology.
Somnath is a family man and enjoys spending time with his wife and children. He is also a dedicated scientist and engineer committed to making India a global leader in space exploration and technology.
S Somnath is a highly qualified and experienced aerospace engineer whose success bugle has been done by the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 at present. The successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 has made India proud all over the world. In which S. Somnath’s contribution has been valuable.
S Somnath wants to focus on the development of new technologies for space exploration, such as reusable launch vehicles and human space flight. He wants to expand ISRO’s commercial space activities. He wants to collaborate with other space agencies around the world.
S Somnath is a visionary leader committed to making ISRO the world’s leading space agency. He has the skills, and experience to achieve his goals, and is well-positioned to lead ISRO in the future.
