Mr G Madhavan Nair

Mr G Madhavan Nair
Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation
Chairman, Space Commission
Secretary, Department of Space
Government of India

Mr Madhavan Nair was born on October 31, 1943 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. He graduated in Engineering from Kerala University in 1966 and underwent training at Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC), Bombay. He joined Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in 1967. Since then, he has held various positions posting illustrious milestones on his way to the present position.
Mr Madhavan Nair is currently the Chairman of Indian Space Research Organization entrusted with the responsibility of development of space technology and its applications to solve the problems of man & society in India.

During his tenure as Chairman, ISRO/Secretary, DOS, 22 successful missions were accomplished i.e.,, INSAT-3E, RESOURCESAT-1, EDUSAT, CARTOSAT-1, HAMSAT-1, INSAT-4A, PSLV-C5, GSLV-F1, PSLV-C6, CARTOSAT-2, INSAT-4B, SRE-1, PSLV-C7, PSLV-C8, GSLV-F04, INSAT-4CR, PSLV-C10, CARTOSAT-2A, IMS-1, PSLV-C9, PSLV-C11 and CHANDRAYAAN-1. He has taken initiatives towards development of futuristic technologies to enhance the space systems capabilities as well as to reduce the cost of access to space. He has given major thrust for evolving application programmes such as tele-education and telemedicine for meeting the needs of society at large. As on today, more than 31,000 classrooms have been connected under the EDUSAT network and telemedicine is extended to 315 hospitals - 269 in remote/rural/district hospitals including 10 mobile units and 46 super speciality hospitals. He has initiated schemes for Village Resource Centres through satellite connectivity which aims at improving the quality of life of the poor people in the villages. More than 430 VRCs are facilitating access to spatial information on important aspects like land use/land cover, soil and ground water prospects and enable the farmers in taking important decisions based on their query. VRCs also enable online interaction between the local farmers and agricultural scientists. It also provides information of many governmental schemes, farming system, action plans based on weather, community specific advice on soil and water conservation, etc.

Mr Madhavan Nair is a leading technologist in the field of rocket systems and has made significant contributions to the development of multi-stage satellite launch vehicles, achieving self-reliance in independent access to space using indigenous technologies. Impressed with his numerous contributions to the development of the first Indian Satellite Launch Vehicle SLV-3, he was tasked with the responsibility of developing the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle as its Project Director. PSLV has become the workhorse launcher for India helping in establishing end-to-end capability in the remote sensing arena. He led composite team of scientists and engineers in research & development activities in multi disciplinary areas such as System Design, Aeronautics, Structures, Propulsions, Avionics, Integration and Checkout, etc., for realization of PSLV.

In his tenure as the Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre from 1995-99, India’s efforts towards indigenous development of cryogenic technology took concrete shape and vital infrastructures were built and critical technologies were developed. In his role as the Director of VSSC from 1999 till he took over the present position, Shri G.Madhavan Nair led VSSC, the largest Centre of ISRO with about six thousand employees working in various engineering and scientific disciplines towards the development of India’s Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle – GSLV capable of orbiting 2000 kg class of satellite into Geo Transfer Orbit, which had its successful flight in the very first attempt, and declared operational after its successful flight in 2003. He was also responsible for charting the road map for future development of ISRO’s activities, especially in the launch vehicle area targeting low cost access to space.

Mr Madhavan Nair as Chairman, Space Commission is responsible for chalking out the future plan for space research in the country. Major thrust are in scientific exploration of outer space using the ASTROSAT and Chandrayaan (moon) missions apart from implementing schemes for telemedicine, tele-education and disaster management support systems. He is also providing guidance and leadership in undertaking new technology developments related to launch vehicle, spacecrafts for communication, remote sensing and applications programmes to meet societal needs.

In the international arena, Mr Madhavan Nair has led the Indian delegations for bilateral cooperation and negotiations with many Space Agencies and Countries, specially with France, Russia, Brazil, Israel, etc., and has been instrumental in working out mutually beneficial international cooperative agreements. Mr Madhavan Nair has led the Indian delegation to the S&T Sub-Committee of United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN-COPUOS) since 1998.

Mr Madhavan Nair’s focus has always been to achieve self-reliance in the high technology areas and to bring the benefits of space technology to the national development, specially targeting the needs of the rural and poor sections of the society.