Meet the Team Behind ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 Which Carried India to the Moon

Who are the scientists and engineers behind successfully touching down on the Moon with Chandrayaan-3?

From left to right, P Veeramuthuvel, S Somanath, M Srikanth, and K Kalpana.

(Image Courtesy: ISRO/Altered by The Quint)

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully landed the Chandrayaan-3 on the South Pole of the Moon on 23 August 2023, marking a historic first, both in India and the world's space exploration journey. Meet the engineers and scientists behind this historic mission, who led the nation to the Moon.

Sreedhara Panicker Somanath, Chairman, ISRO

Born in Alappuzha, Kerala, S Somanath joined ISRO in 1985. With a distinguished career, he served as the former Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Center and former Project Manager of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). He also led the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC). Appointed ISRO Chief in January 2022, he played a pivotal role in other missions including Gaganyaan and Aditya-L1.

P Veeramuthuvel, Project Director

Hailing from Villupuram, Tamil Nadu, P Veeramuthuvel, the Project Director of Chandrayaan-3, got his PhD from IIT-Madras and joined ISRO in 2014. He played a crucial role in Chandrayaan-2, serving as the primary negotiator with NASA.

Reflecting on the accomplishment, Veeramuthuvel stated, "It's been a journey of dedication and innovation. We are proud to have placed India on the moon once again."

M Srikanth, Mission Director

With an extensive involvement in Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2, M Srikanth led Chandrayaan-3's navigation efforts. His expertise has been vital in realising this mission's success. Sharing his thoughts, Srikanth said, "The challenges were immense, but the team's spirit was greater. We are overjoyed to have achieved this feat."

K Kalpana, Associate Project Director

Born in Bengaluru and a graduate from IIT Kharagpur, K Kalpana joined ISRO in 2003. She played an integral role in Chandrayaan-2 and was a key contributor to the development of propulsion systems and imaging equipment. She said, "Being part of India's lunar exploration efforts has been a privilege. Chandrayaan-3 marks a significant step forward."

S Mohana Kumar, Mission Director

With over 30 years at ISRO, S Mohana Kumar, the Head of Composites Fabrication at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, was responsible for overseeing the launch and landing of Vikram Lander and Pragyan Rover. For the rest of the team, watch the full video!