10 Facts About Dr Sivan, A Farmer's Son Who Became ISRO Chief & Brought India Closer To The Moon
A man of immense calibre, grit and devotion, who has completely and thoroughly invested himself in every space project that India has undertaken over the past 37 years, broke down on national television earlier today, after the ground stations lost communication from the Chandrayaan-2 Lander just minutes before its crucial landing on the moon.
One of India's most renowned space scientists of recent times, Dr K Sivan, a national gem who rose to the heights of success and unparalleled scientific achievements, from nothingness.
Here is everything you need to know about the poor village boy with big dreams and a burning passion to turn them into reality, who went on to become the ISRO Chairman.
1. A farmer's son, Dr Sivan was born into a household of limited means in a village called Mela Sarkal Vilai in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district.
2. Kailasavadivoo Sivan is his given name, though today all of India knows him as Dr K. Sivan. An extremely bright student, Dr Sivan went to a Tamil medium government school during his formative years, and later moved to another school in a neighbouring village. Dr Sivan also happens to be the first graduate in his family.
3. Highly qualified and Alma Mater of some of the most prestigious engineering colleges in the country, Dr Sivan did his graduation in engineering from Madras Institute of Technology, followed by Master's in aerospace engineering from Indian Institute of Science and PhD in aerospace engineering from IIT-Bombay. He also holds multiple fellowships.
4. Dr Sivan is best known for developing cryogenic rocket engines for ISRO, and is often called 'Rocket Man' for his invaluable contributions in the field.
5. Dr Sivan joined ISRO in 1982 and his first assignment was the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) Project.