India appointed rocket scientist V. Narayanan as the new head of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the government said on Tuesday, a key role as India works to become a space superpower.

Born in 1964 in Melakattu village Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari District, Narayanan completed his early schooling in his hometown. He earned a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (DME) and an Associate Membership in Mechanical Engineering from the Institution of Engineers (AMIE).

V Narayanan will be the new Chairman of ISRO and Secretary of the Department of Space. With extensive experience since 1984, Narayanan has been pivotal in developing India's cryogenic propulsion systems and has delivered numerous liquid propulsion systems during his tenure.