National Space Day 2024: A Complete List of Chairpersons of ISRO on National Space Day 2024

On August 23, 2023, India achieved history by being the first nation to reach the southern polar zone of the moon and the fourth nation to land on the moon safely. In honor of this enormous accomplishment, Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi proclaimed August 23 to be "National Space Day."

On August 23, 2024, India will observe its first National Space Day (NSpD-2024), with the theme "Touching Lives while Touching the Moon: India's Space Saga." This topic honors the country's outstanding achievements to society as well as its enormous influence on space exploration.

There will be several activities held all around the nation to emphasize India's outstanding successes in space technology and the many advantages these developments have brought to everyday life. People from all walks of life will have the chance to interact with and learn about India's dynamic space program during these celebrations. August 23, 2024, will mark an iconic ceremony in New Delhi, commemorating the culmination of the celebrations and an important milestone in India's space mission.

On the eve of the first-ever National Space Day, let's have a look at the entire list of ISRO Chairpersons in this article. The ISRO since its inception, has 11 Chairpersons to date. Now let's explore it:

A Complete List of Chairpersons of ISRO:

Dr. Vikram Sarabhai (1963-1971): The founder and first Chairman of ISRO is often regarded as the father of the Indian space program.
Prof. M.G.K. Menon (1972): Served as an interim chairman after Dr. Sarabhai's demise.
Prof. Satish Dhawan (1972-1984): Known for his leadership during a crucial period of growth for ISRO, including the development of satellite launch vehicles.
Prof. U.R. Rao (1984-1994): Under his leadership, India successfully launched its first operational satellite, INSAT-1B, and he played a key role in the development of indigenous satellite technology.
Dr. K. Kasturirangan (1994-2003): Oversaw the launch of India's first fully operational satellite launch vehicle, PSLV, and the development of GSLV.
Dr. G. Madhavan Nair (2003-2009): Led ISRO during the successful launch of Chandrayaan-1, India's first lunar mission.
Dr. K. Radhakrishnan (2009-2014): His tenure saw the successful launch of the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), making India the first country to reach Mars on its first attempt.
Shailesh Nayak (2015): He spent most of his time studying oceanography and remote sensing, and for a brief 11-day period, he held the position of interim chief of ISRO.
Dr. A.S. Kiran Kumar (2015-2018): Contributed to the successful launch of 104 satellites in a single mission and the development of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).
Dr. K. Sivan (2018-2022): Led the organization during the Chandrayaan-2 mission and oversaw significant advancements in launch vehicle technology.
Dr. S. Somanath (2022-present): Under his leadership, ISRO has continued to advance its space exploration initiatives, including the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission which led to India's historic landing on the Moon's southern pole.