Former ISRO Chairman Joins PM Modi’s Task Force: All About the Leader Behind India’s Moon South Pole Landing
Somanath led the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which made India the first country to successfully land near the Moon’s south pole. He has recently joined the Board of Directors of a Chennai-based space technology startup.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the formation of a high-powered expert task force to overhaul India’s examination system through technology-driven and structural reforms. The panel brings together experts from the fields of technology, space, intelligence, education, and logistics to strengthen the country’s public examination framework.
Among the members is former ISRO Chairman Dr. S. Somanath, who led India’s historic Chandrayaan-3 mission that successfully achieved the country’s first soft landing near the Moon’s south pole. He has also recently joined the board of a Chennai-based space technology startup.
The task force is chaired by Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys and the architect behind Aadhaar. Other members include former Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director Tapan Deka, IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti, former Education Secretary Anita Karwal, and logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena.
Somanath’s Major Achievements and Current Role
Dr. Sreedhara Panicker Somanath served as the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) from January 2022 to January 2025. During his tenure, he was recognised as an Apex Grade distinguished scientist and oversaw some of India’s most significant space missions.
His Achievements
Somanath led the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which made India the first country to successfully land near the Moon’s south pole. He also played a key role in the development of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) and the Test Vehicle (TV) programme. Under his leadership, ISRO successfully carried out the Reusable Launch Vehicle Landing Experiment (RLV-LEX), an important step towards developing reusable launch systems.
Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre
Before becoming ISRO Chairman, Somanath served as the Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) from 2018 to 2021. During this period, he led several major programmes, including air-breathing propulsion technology and work related to the Chandrayaan-2 mission.
Somanath’s Current Role
Dr. Somanath has recently joined the Board of Directors of AgniKul Cosmos, a Chennai-based space technology startup. His appointment comes as the company prepares for Mission 02, which aims to achieve the first recovery of an orbital-class rocket on Indian soil.
Speaking about his new role, Dr. Somanath said he has closely followed AgniKul’s progress and believes the company has a strong engineering foundation. He highlighted its reusable upper-stage concept, indigenous semi-cryogenic propulsion system, and rapidly manufactured 3D-printed engine as key innovations. He added that Mission 02 represents an important technological milestone for both India and the global space sector.
Somanath’s Educational Qualifications
Dr. Somanath completed his B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, where he secured a university rank. He later earned a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, receiving a gold medal for academic excellence. He also holds a PhD from IIT Madras.
Over the years, he has been awarded several honorary doctorates by institutions including Centurion University, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Uttarakhand Technical University, Sarala Birla University, JNTU, KUHS, Amity University, VTU, and DY Patil Vidyapeeth.
Sahil Behl is an education journalist at Jagran with over a year of experience in journalism. Prior to joining Jagran, he worked as a Sub-Editor in NDTV's Education department, where he was responsible for writing and editing education-related content as well as managing the department's social media presence. At Jagran, he covers a wide range of education topics, including board examinations, school updates, admissions, and job notifications, while leveraging his editorial expertise and strong understanding of digital content strategy.
Sahil holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and has also completed an eight-month certification program in Data Science. Passionate about emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, he closely tracks their growing role in journalism and explores how they are transforming shaping the future of the media industry.
