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Sreedhara Panicker Somanath (born July 1963) is an Indian aerospace engineer serving as the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation.[2]

S. Somanath
S. Somanath speaking at 70th International Astronautical Congress
10th Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation
Incumbent
Assumed office 15 January 2022 (2022-01-15)
Preceded by	K. Sivan
Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre
In office 22 January 2018 – 14 January 2022
Preceded by	K. Sivan
Succeeded by	Dr. S. Unnikrishnan Nair[1]
Director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre
In office 1 January 2015 – 23 January 2018
Preceded by	K. Sivan
Personal details
Born	July 1963 (age 58) Thuravoor, Cherthala Alappuzha, Kerala, India
Spouse	Valsalakumari
Children	2
Parents	Vedamparambil Sreedhara Panicker Thankamma
Alma mater	TKM College of Engineering, Kollam (B.Tech) Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (M.E)

Somanath also served as the Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram and Director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Thiruvananthapuram.[3][4] Somanath is known for his contributions to launch vehicle design, particularly in the areas of launch vehicle systems engineering, structural design, structural dynamics, and pyrotechnics.[5][6]

Early life and career

Somanath was born to a Nair family as a son of Sreedhara Panicker, a Hindi teacher, and Thankamma in Thuravoor.[7]

Somanath did his schooling at St Augustine's High School, Aroor and completed his pre-university program from Maharaja's College, Ernakulam. Somanath received his graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, Kerala University and Master's Degree in Aerospace Engineering from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore with specialization in Dynamics and Control.

After his graduation, Somanath joined Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation in 1985. He was associated with Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) Project during its initial phase. He became the Associate Director (Projects) of VSSC and also the Project Director of GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle in 2010. He was also the Deputy Director of the Propulsion and Space Ordinance Entity till November 2014.[5]

In June 2015, he took over as Director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) at Valiamala, Thiruvananthapuram and served there until January 2018. Somanath took over as Director of VSSC from K. Sivan who became Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation. In January 2022, he took over as the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation, again succeeding K. Sivan.

References

Government offices
Preceded by K. Sivan	ISRO Chairman 2022–	Succeeded by Incumbent

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