Dr. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan, Chairman - Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Chairman Space Commission is an outstanding leader in directing the space programme of India.

Born on October 24, 1940 at Ernakulam, Kerala, he took his Bachelor of Science with Honours and Master of Science Degree in Physics and a Doctorate in High Energy Astronomy. In his long research career, he made fundamental contributions in X-ray and Gama Ray Astronomy, effect of Cosmic X-rays in lower Ionosphere, in satellite instrumentation as well as optical astronomy. After joining Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), in 1971, he played key roles in programmes such as Bhaskara and Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS), as well as in the building of satellite capabilities.

Presently, under his leadership as Chairman, ISRO, the space programme has witnessed major milestones including the successful launching and operationalisation of India's prestigious Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), which orbited IRS-P2, IRS-P3, IRS-1D, the world's best civilian remote. sensing satellite, and india's first Oceanographic satellite, IRS-P4, which was launched along with 2 foreign satellites, as a triple launch. Other missions include orbiting of SROSS-C2, IRS-1C and launch of multi-purpose, INSAT-2C, 2D and 2E satellites.

As Chairman of ANTRIX, Dr. Kasturirangan has. given impetus to the commercialisation of India's space capabilities through international marketing of IRS data and a major multimillion dollar contract with INTELSAT for leasing INSAT transponders. He is a member of important scientific academies in India and abroad and has chaired some of the prestigious international committees. He also chairs the Governing Board of the UN Centre for Space Science & Technology Education. He has published more than 180 papers in reputed international and national journals and edited 6 books.

Dr. Kasturirangan has won several awards , including Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in Engineering.