Dr K. Sivan – ISRO Chief
Dr K. Sivan is a well known space scientist from Tamil Nadu and now he is the current chairperson of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). He took up the reins from A.S. Kiran Kumar to become the 9th head of the 50-year-old prestigious organisation.
Before taking charge as ISRO chief, K.Sivan plied his trade as the former Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Center and Liquid Propulsion centre. Sivan’s success didn’t come that easy. He had to face a lot of struggles in his life before touching the pinnacle of success.
Dr K.Sivan was born to a farmer in Kanyakumari’s Tarakkanvilai village. He completed his schooling in Tamil medium government schools. He is independent and someone who believed in hard-work and faced challenges with ease. He understood the circumstances and shaped himself in such a way that he taught himself without other’s guidance from family or attending coaching classes. Despite that, he became the first graduate in his family, in what was indeed an unforgettable achievement.
Dr K.Sivan is a member of Indian National Academy of Engineering, Indian Systems Society for Science and Engineering, Aeronautical Society of India, and Systems Society of India. Having gained a wide range of knowledge with regards to launching vehicles, he published a book titled ‘Integrated Design’ for Space Transportation System in the year 2015.
In 1980, Sivan studied Bachelor’s Degree in Aeronautical engineering from Madras Institute of Technology (MIT). Post that he studied Post Graduation his Master’s course in aerospace engineering from IISC Bengaluru and joined the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1982. In ISRO, Sivan was an integral part of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) project where he played a huge part in the planning, designing, integration, and analysis of the mission.