Dr. K. Radhakrishnan

Engineer and space manager who became ISRO Chairman on 1 November 2009 and led the agency through the Mars Orbiter Mission.

Portrait of Dr. K. Radhakrishnan
Photo: Shamzu · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Koppillil Radhakrishnan (born 29 August 1949)

Contribution

Radhakrishnan was ISRO Chairman when the Mars Orbiter Mission was launched on PSLV-C25 on 5 November 2013 and when it entered orbit around Mars in September 2014. The President's congratulations on the Mars orbit insertion were addressed to him.

Outside ISRO, he set up the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) as its founding director and was the first Project Director of the Indian National Tsunami Warning System, during a posting from 2000 to 2005.

Career

He was born in Irinjalakuda, Kerala. He graduated in electrical engineering from Kerala University in 1970, completed a management diploma at IIM Bangalore in 1976, and earned a doctorate from IIT Kharagpur in 2000.

He joined VSSC as an avionics engineer in May 1971. Later posts included Director of ISRO's budget and economic analysis, Director of the National Remote Sensing Agency (2005–08) and Director of VSSC (2007–09). He took charge as Chairman of ISRO, Chairman of the Space Commission and Secretary of the Department of Space on 1 November 2009.

He received the Padma Bhushan in 2014.

Linked missions

  • Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan): launched and placed in Mars orbit during his chairmanship.

Sources

  1. Dr. K. Radhakrishnan (2009-2014) — ISRO
  2. President of India congratulates ISRO for the successful Orbit Insertion Maneuver of 'Mangalyaan' — PIB
  3. Launching of Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft — PIB