K. Sivan
Rocket scientist and former chairman of ISRO
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K. Sivan is a rocket scientist who rose from a farming family in Tamil Nadu to lead the Indian Space Research Organisation from 2018 to 2022, including during the Chandrayaan-2 Moon mission. He is known for his work on launch vehicle design and trajectory simulation.
Biography
Rocket man
He joined ISRO in 1982 and worked on the PSLV. He developed SITARA, software used to simulate rocket trajectories, and became known as an expert in launch vehicle design. As director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre he oversaw the PSLV launch that put a record 104 satellites into orbit in 2017.
Chairman
Sivan became chairman of ISRO in January 2018. In 2019 Chandrayaan-2 reached the Moon, but its Vikram lander lost contact just before landing; television images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi embracing an emotional Sivan were seen across India.
First in the family
Sivan grew up in a farming family in Kanyakumari district, studying in Tamil-medium schools, and was the first in his family to graduate. He studied aeronautical engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology and aerospace engineering at the Indian Institute of Science, later earning a PhD from IIT Bombay.
Legacy
The orbiter of Chandrayaan-2 continued working, and the lessons learnt fed into Chandrayaan-3’s successful landing in 2023. Sivan completed his term in January 2022.
Timeline
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1957
Born in Sarakkalvilai, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu
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1982
Joins ISRO
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2017
Record 104-satellite launch
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2018
Chairman of ISRO
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2019
Chandrayaan-2
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2022
Completes term
Did you know?
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1
He was the first graduate in his family.
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2
He studied in Tamil-medium schools.
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3
He is nicknamed the “Rocket Man” of ISRO.
Connections
Related people
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Narendra Modi
Politics & Leadership · Prime Minister of India since 2014
Prime Minister during Chandrayaan-2
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S. Somanath
Science · Aerospace engineer who led ISRO during Chandrayaan-3
Successor as ISRO chairman
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Ritu Karidhal
Science · ISRO scientist known as the “Rocket Woman of India”
Mission director of Chandrayaan-2
Frequently asked
Who is K. Sivan?
K. Sivan is a rocket scientist who rose from a farming family in Tamil Nadu to lead the Indian Space Research Organisation from 2018 to 2022, including during the Chandrayaan-2 Moon mission. He is known for his work on launch vehicle design and trajectory simulation.
How old is K. Sivan?
K. Sivan is 69 years old, born on 14 April 1957 in Sarakkalvilai, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu.
Where is K. Sivan from?
K. Sivan was born in Sarakkalvilai, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu.
What is K. Sivan known for?
K. Sivan is best known for Chairing ISRO from 2018 to 2022; Chandrayaan-2; rocket trajectory software.
References
- K. Sivan — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- K. Sivan — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- K. Sivan (Q20820990) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “K. Sivan”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
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About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 27 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“K. Sivan.” TrackFame, last updated 28 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/k-sivan
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